...An Assignment...

October 15th, 1965

I wake to the sounds of Aderyn crying. I sit up sleepily and rub my eyes. She's only a few months old but she wakes everyone up at the crack of dawn with her crying. I slip out of bed and wash my face. I stretch on my ballet bar and am fully awake by the time Walburga comes in with a giggly Aderyn. "Oh, you're already awake. Kreacher will bring breakfast up when it's ready. I need to leave for a few hours to check on the party so I need you kids on your best behavior." she smiles and pats my head. "Yes ma'am." I smile tickling Aderyn's feet making her giggle.

She lays Aderyn on the play area and hurries out. Half an hour later Kreacher appears with avocado bread with a sunny side up egg on top with tomatoes. I eat quickly and continue stretching while Kreacher feeds Aderyn. Another hour passes and Walburga returns. She kisses my cheek and scoops Aderyn onto her lap. She has me go over my basic etiquette then show her what I've learned in my dance lessons. Kreacher brings in lunch and I eat slowly. Aderyn and I take an afternoon nap on my bed and wake around 4.

Mother 1, 3, 4, and 7 are holding an art gallery and show tonight. Yawning I make my way to the bath. Walburga comes in with Aderyn and places her in the bath too. When she turns around to put the towels on the towel heater, I put suds in the curls on Aderyn's hair. Walburga laughs when she turns around and pinches my cheek. Once we're scrubbed clean from our day of play, she brushes our hair and puts my hair in a ponytail and sets curlers to work on the ends of my hair.

Aderyn's hair is put into pigtails. I hum softly while I wash my face and put my earrings on. Walburga helps me put my tights on then I shimmy into my cream white pouf dress. I fasten my flats and grab my doll. "I need to make sure Orion gets dressed so you can go sit in the sitting room, ok Evania." Walburga smiles as she finishes putting Aderyn's skirt on. I nod and skip from the room. I've almost reached the sitting room when Bellatrix trips me. She smirks in satisfaction and turns to walk away.

To my horror I turn and see I've bumped into Sirius making his cup of juice go flying onto his favorite book. "I'm sorry!" I sniffle getting to my feet but Sirius doesn't see or hear me. He's staring wide eyed at his book which has been soaked in juice. "My book..." he whispers. He rounds on me completely furious. "You ruined my book!" he yells pushing me. I land on the floor near the wall. "I said I was sorry. It wasn't even my fault. Bellatrix tripped me." I whimper getting to my feet. "It is your fault! You should've been looking where you were going!" Sirius yells now waving his book in my face.

"I said I was sorry." I insist but Sirius is too upset to hear me. I gasp in shock as he wrenches my doll from me and tosses it into the fireplace and watches it burn. "Now we're even." he smirks and storms off. I sink to the floor and cry as my doll from my mother is reduced to ashes. "Nia, what happened?!" dad asks hurrying over from the study and picking me up. I point at the fireplace where my doll lies now too blackened and misshapen to tell what it once was. Orion and Cygnus rush in and freeze.

Orion pulls it from the fire with a sigh. Dad pats my back until I'm calm enough to speak. "Now, tell us what happened." he sighs sitting down with me in his lap. "Walburga told me to come in here and play until it was time to leave. I was almost here when Bellatrix tripped me. I bumped into Sirius and his juice ruined his favorite book." I sniffle. "Then Bellatrix left, Sirus pushed her, took her doll, and threw it into the fire." Narcissa finishes walking in with Andromeda who nods in confirmation.

Orion and Cygnus rush out to retrieve the other two. Dad frowns and then turns to me. "Are you ok?" he asks. I nod still staring at my smoking remains of doll. Sirius and Bellatrix are half-dragged in. They say what happened from their point of view and dad's frown deepens when Bellatrix speaks looking like she couldn't care less about the damage she caused. Dad wipes my remaining tears away. "You know that doll was the first and last gift she got from her mother, don't you?" dad asks Sirius. "She should've been paying attention.

"She's younger than both of you! Shouldn't you have been more understanding?!" Orion snaps. "Exactly, what were you two thinking?" Cygnus frowns at his daughter. Bellatrix rolls her eyes and storms away. "My apologies. I'll make sure she's properly punished." Cygnus bows and hurries after her. "The book can easily be fixed.", dad points at the book and it instantly goes back to the way it was, "The doll could be fixed too but the trauma cannot."

I keep to myself until it's time to go. I take dad's hand as we walk to the Apparition point. Fay hurries over when we walk in and her smile falters. "What's wrong?" she asks. "The kids had a minor altercation and Nia lost the doll." dad pats my head. "Ah, that can't exactly be helped. Even Alon and Dylan fight almost every day." she sighs and gives me a reassuring smile. "Why don't you go sit at the table where your brothers and sisters are sitting." dad points across the hall to a rather large table where all 20 of my siblings are already seated in order of mother.

I nod and hurry over to my designated seat. I've met all of my siblings but it's still a bit awkward. Their mothers all sit at a table together from the first to the seventh. "Were you crying earlier? Your eyes are red!" Sten points out. I nod and we return to silence. Alon and Elsie chat amongst themselves since they're the only ones who've started school. Every now and then one of their mothers comes over and whispers something to them. As the guests for the evening begin to come in, I note that father has joined the mothers.

It's common knowledge that dad has seven wives so most that come in aren't shocked, but for the few families that lived relatively removed from society, it comes as a bit of a shock. I keep my eyes down and focus intently on the intricate designs on the tablecloth. Keegan nudges e and I turn to him curiously. "Should I tell you who's here?" he asks with a mischievous smile. I tilt my head in wonder as he points out the various families. All of the sacred 28 families are in attendance as well as some families who aren't as 'pure' as father would like, though he doesn't show it.

"Wow, even Eileen Prince is here with her son!" Aline gasps pointing to a rather bored looking boy my age next to a very proud and aristocratic looking woman. "And over there is the Avery family." Keegan points out. My eyes try to take in everyone as quickly as I can but it's hard. It takes me a few minutes to get everyone's names and faces down. I return to my previous behavior as the night begins and the waiters bring out the food.

I walk around by myself as I look at third mother's artwork. Everything's going fine until Eileen Prince's son bumps into me. He's with his friends I realize as I look up. Avery, Mulciber, Wilkes, and Evan Rosier. "Sorry about that." he mumbles. "Sorry." I murmur quickly backing away. "You're Evania Black, aren't you?" I nod and turn to see which one was talking to me. They're all looking at Avery but he's not looking at me. He's focused on Mulciber. "Sorry about that. We were just playing around and didn't mean to run into you." Avery continues without looking at me.

"That's quite alright. Nia never really pays attention to where she's going anyways." Sirius smirks walking over with Remus Lupin and James Potter. "Pardon me. I'm sorry. I should get going now." I mumble desperately trying to get away from this situation. "Mother's looking for you Nia. She wants to introduce you to some people." Alon announces pulling me to the side. I nod grateful for an escape. "I thought she was your little sister?" James tilts his head in confusion. Sirius shrugs and looks at the ceiling with a bored look on his face.

Ignoring the look of desperation on my face and me tugging on his sleeve, Alon turns back around. "The Black family kindly took Evania after her mother died and agreed to treat her like their own daughter. However, some people tend to forget this and torment those younger than them and burn people's last treasure from their parents. You should aim to be better Sirius." Alon frowns. Sirius opens his mouth to defend himself when Andromeda, Lucius, and Narcissa walk over. "There you two are. They're getting impatient. Come on." Andromeda pushes us towards the adults.

I feel like someone is watching me as we walk away but when I turn no one is. Alon takes my hand as we weave through the crowded room. Walburga claps happily when we approach. "I noticed that you were walking around alone and found some nice girls for you to talk to Nia." she smiles. Four girls stand slightly hidden in their mother's skirts. "This is Weylyn, Zinnia, Rayna, and over there is Faye." she introduces. We nod silently at each other then the adults send us off. There's a small outdoor garden where we sit down and stare up at the sky.

April 20th, 1968

I wake to Regulus and Aderyn jumping on my bed. I sit up and they both flop down giggling. Tutting I slide out of bed and hold out my hands to them. It's a little past dawn and the sky is just waking up. "What are you two doing up at this hour?" I ask as they take my hands and slide off my bed. "Couldn't sleep!" Aderyn giggles rolling across the soft carpet at the foot of my bed. "You know we have lessons today. You should sleep as much as you can." I smile and sit down on the edge of the carpet as Regulus peruses my bookshelves.

I play with Aderyn while Regulus reads and that is how Walburga finds us. "Regulus you have speaking lessons an hour after breakfast and you girls have dance lessons in two hours." she smiles hurrying around and packing my bag for my lessons today. My lessons consist of dance, music, art, speaking, cooking, etiquette, sewing, and gardening classes. I look over my schedule for today and find I have gardening, dance, cooking, and art lessons today.

The lessons academy is run by a small family that cares for wizarding families' kids while they work. I walk to my closet and pick out a simple skirt and shirt and slide on my shoes. I hurry down to the dining room for breakfast and ignore Sirius who's already seated. He still hasn't apologized for burning my doll. I eat quickly and excuse myself from the table before I'm forced to make conversation with him.

I smile when I see my friends and take off. Arm in arm we walk into our first lesson. We catch up while we wait for the cooking instructor to come in. "Glad to see everyone in a good mood today!" the instructor smiles as he walks in. The class falls silent giving him our full attention. "Today you'll be cooking in pairs, and before you guys get all excited to work with your friends, I'll be putting you into groups." he announces making the entire class groan. Weylyn shoots me a look of horror when she's paired with Sirius.

I shoot her my own look of horror when I'm paired with Avery. "You got such a good cooking partner!" Rayna pouts. "What are you talking about?! He never talks!" I pout. "Yes, he does!" my friends insist. "Does he just not talk to me then? Have I ever said anything mean to him?" I wonder. Rayna and Zinnia roll their eyes and walk off to join their partners. "Evania?" Avery whispers. I jump making him jump too. "You scared me!" I whisper hand over my heart.

I can feel him watching me but every time I turn to him, he's always doing something. "Uhm, Avery? Do you want me to get the assignment from the instructor or do you want to get it?" I ask. He stares into my eyes for a moment then hurries up to the instructor's desk blushing. I stare after him in shock. When he returns, he refuses to look at me. I read through our instructions with a disheartened sigh. "Mynems Evindr." he mumbles. I turn to him confused. "What?" I lean closer. "My name is Evander Avery." he murmurs.

"Ah, sorry about that. It's just Rosier's name is Evan and your names are oh so similar. I didn't want to cause any confusion." I apologize. "It's ok. I just thought you were calling me by my last name because you didn't know." Evander's blush has returned full force. "Are you feeling, ok? You're awfully red Evander." I frown. "I'm fine." he whispers his blush darkening rapidly. I sigh and return to reading our assignment. I feel him scoot closer and slide the instructions over so we can both read.

We don't say much as we gather the ingredients for today's lesson. Today we're making cloud eggs, cloud bread, and doughnuts. I turn to Evander who's trying to tie his apron. I smile and tie it for him. "The instructor didn't say what types to make, so is there a flavor you want to try?" I ask. He rereads the recipe and small smile graces his face. I stare in amazement. "What?" he asks turning to me. "Nothing, you just look pretty when you smile." I shrug and turn back to the recipe in my hands.

Working with him is easy to say the least. As if he's reading my mind, he hands me the ingredients I need. By the end of the hour, I turn to ask him about the cloud eggs and find he's already done and drizzling pesto on them. I watch as he places them on the plate to be graded. "What?" he mumbles when he turns and finds me watching him. "You're amazing, you know that right?" I laugh. He cracks a smile and shakes his head as I add the strawberry cloud bread. The doughnuts sit on another platter. There's cinnamon twisted doughnuts, lemon filled doughnuts, green tea doughnuts.

We wait patiently and without a single word as the instructor walks around tasting and grading everyone's dishes. He smiles when he gets to ours. "Well done you two." he smiles as he finishes his tasting. He continues walking and I turn to high five Evander. He stares blankly at me so I take his hand and high five it before turning to try the food.

"Did you break Avery?" Zinnia giggles as we change for dance class. "No, besides telling me his name we didn't speak at all." I shrug as I tie my hair back. "You've got to be joking! He was so flustered when he left class." Faye frowns putting her hair in a bun. "I heard he ran into a wall." Zinnia giggles as we walk into the studio and begin our stretches. Avery and his friends walk by and I wave at Avery. He blushes and trips out of view. Several seconds later his friends wince and we hear a gigantic crash. "I was just saying hi." I murmur.

"Maybe he's just shy around you Nia. He's not to like that around anyone else." Weylyn sighs as she does her splits stretch. I sigh and continue stretching on the bar. Class begins and our focus is shifted. It isn't until gardening class when I realize we're in the same class. It's just my luck that my friends and I are left with seats near his friends. "Why'd you trip earlier? You were in the infirmary nearly half the day!" I hear Severus ask. "I t was nothing. I was just a bit clumsy." Evander scoffs.

Zinnia nudges me and shake my head and stare up at the clear blue sky. We're not planting anything today just watering the plants and caring for the sick plants. I do my best to avoid not only Sirius and his friends but also Evander and his friends. When the lesson comes to a close, I breathe a sigh of relief. "I have an announcement!" the instructor calls as we put our things away. We turn to her in confusion. "I have notified your parents already so don't try and run from the assignment." she says looking at Sirius and his friends.

They try their best to look innocent. "Because it's spring I want you all to visit a garden or park and at the end of May you will all present it to the class. You will work in groups and I hope you all try your best." she smiles. I'm positively giddy and bouncing up and down. As we leave, she hands everyone a slip of paper with their group members names on it. I take mine and skip after my friends. Regulus and Aderyn join us as we walk to the front of the academy. Walburga is already there with the car and scolding Sirius.

Apparently, he tried to coax some kids in the halls into eating acid pops and the director sent her a notice about his behavior. I roll my eyes and say bye to my friends. I open the door so Aderyn and Regulus can climb in and not have to listen to Sirius get scolded, again. We sit in silence eating our snacks while we wait. When they climb in Sirius looks rather red. The driver starts the car and we're off.

"I already heard about your project. Who's in your group?" Walburga asks turning to me after Regulus and Aderyn finish telling her about their day. I open my slip and my heart sinks. Evander, Remus, and Adair are all in my group but the only name that makes me feel a small bit of hope is Faye's. I hand the slip over and sit back with a defeated sigh. "I wanted to have fun but I don't think I'll be able to." I pout. As Sirius' friend, Remus has never been on good terms with Evander and Adair.

"I don't want to babysit them the entire assignment." I whine and put my head in Aderyn's lap. Walburga tuts at my behavior but she's frowning at the names too. I don't say another word until the car stops. "We'll be here for the afternoon before returning home." she informs us as we climb out at Grimmauld Place. Now that we're all older we sometimes spend afternoons here so we're closer to the academy. I head straight to the library and begin reading.

April 26th, 1968

I emerge from my room midday hungry. I make a beeline for the kitchen but Sirius blocks my path as he emerges from the study. "Why if it isn't little miss thing! You finally came out of your room, did ya? I heard that you made the Avery's son run into wall and he had to spend half the day in the infirmary. What did you do? Did you bite him or something?" Sirius smirks. "Pardon me doll killer." I side step him and keep walking. "Oh, come on! You aren't still upset about the stupid ugly little doll, are you?" he calls after me.

I turn and glare at him. His smirk fades fast and I turn and keep walking. Kreacher is just walking in when I do. I nod and head straight to the pantry. "What is the young miss looking for?" Kreacher frowns pacing the room. "A snack while I study." I mumble. "I can get it for you." Kreacher hurries over but I stop him. "No, you can't. Sirius seems to be in a mischievous mood and looking for trouble." I frown as Kreacher tries to pull me out of the pantry. Just then there's a tremendous crash from overhead and Aderyn's wails fill the house. Grumbling Kreacher disappears with a pop.

I spy a fresh baguette and grab some mozzarella, figs, goat cheese, and balsamic. I make a nice little platter from my assorted goodies then pour some watermelon juice. Balancing as best I can, I carry my tray up to my room and place it on my desk. I read and take notes while I munch away on my snack. It's only when I hear the doorbell that I hop up. I hurry to the door and open. Faye is standing there smiling. "Come in." I smile and wave to her parents who are talking to Walburga in the drive.

Faye darts up to my room and I follow laughing. I'm just passing the study when father and Orion walk out. Judging by the looks on their faces they've been in there long enough to hear me and Sirius' earlier altercation. I nod politely and turn to walk away. "Nia." father says in a warning tone. "Yes." I whisper hurrying over. "Do you have something you wish to explain before Orion and I leave?" father frowns. "I don't know." I pout looking at the floor.

"You don't know or don't want to say anything?" Orion asks. "I really don't know. I've tried talking to Evander but he never talks to me. He's open and friendly with everyone else. He even said it himself that he was a bit clumsy that day and that's why he tripped! It wasn't just because I waved and said hi." I huff. Father drops down to eye level looking into my eyes. "You waved, he tripped, and ran into a wall?" he asks. I nod. "And now I'm in a group with him for an assignment! What do I do if I ask him a question and he trips into a pond and his family gets mad at me?" I frown.

Dad ruffles my hair and smiles. "I'm supposed to meet Avery later today. Would you feel better if I asked him why his son is so shy around you?" he wonders. I nod. "Everyone keeps teasing me about it. I just want to make sure I'm not some sort of personal jinx." I bite my lip. "I'll ask then you'll feel better. Go on little one." he kisses the top of my head before heading out with Orion. I walk up to my room to find Faye finishing off my snack while reading my notes. "I got a note from Remus and Evander this morning about the project. I'm just waiting on Adair's response." Faye murmurs smiling as she reads my notes. I nod and sit on the windowsill. "Your notes are So similar to Evander's." she smirks. I roll my eyes and look outside into the garden. "Where do you want to go for the assignment? I'm fine with anything. I just want to disappear in a garden for a while like dipping into a great story and teleporting into its universe and just being someone other than yourself." I sigh.

Faye sits back and stares at me. "Did Sirius piss you off again?" she frowns. I don't say anything and she sighs. "I swear you two are going to end fighting at this rate." her frown deepens. I shake my head and start humming softly. Kreacher pops in with another tray of food and drinks. "Kreacher, could you take a few notes for us?" Faye wonders. Kreacher bows politely but I see the sly smile and know what it means. "We need you to take these notes to Adair Lestrange, Remus Lupin, and Evander Avery...", I stare straight at Kreacher and speak clearly, "and Kreacher, no spying or anything of the sort." He frowns and grumbles but takes the notes. I turn back to the window when he's gone.