Cinderella-Celeste Potter
Prince Charming-Blaise Zabini
Lady Tremaine- Petunia Dursley
Anastasia-Charlotte Dursley(bony and horse looking like Petunia)
Drizella-Abigail Dursley(fat and pimpled like Vernon)
Lucifer-Crookshanks
Fairy godmother-McGonagall. She appears using glitters and apparition.
The King-Blaise's
The Grand Duke-Slughorn
Bruno-(dog)Padfoot
Major-(horse)Buckbeak
Jaq and Gus, Mary.
The Weasleys-Poor villagers. Friends with Celeste.
The Grangers- Neighbors to the Weasleys.
Hermione and Ron- Best friends with Celeste.
Neville Longbottom- A Noble.
(Others will cameo in the story.)
Celeste, you're as lovely as your name is…
Celeste
You're a sunset in a frame…
Though you're dressed in rags
You wear an air of queenly grace
Anyone can see
A throne will be your proper place
Once upon a time, in a faraway land, there was a mighty kingdom in Great Britain, peaceful, prosperous and rich in romance and tradition, in the outskirts of the kingdom was built a marvelous Château and living in it was a noble family called the Potters.
James Potter, Lily Potter and their new born baby sweet Celeste Potter.
She was their pride and joy, their laughter and their most precious. They grew to love and cherish her more, she was bathed in gifts by her parents and as well as her uncles, another noble called Sirius Black and a modest and kind teacher called Remus Lupin.
But…
Tragedy struck one day. The Potters and their dear friends were to go visit a nearby village when the carriage they were in had a fatal accident and they all died.
Poor Celeste was only 5 when it happened.
Having no one else to put her in, it was decided that her mother's sister take care of her.
The Dursleys.
They were the worst sorts. Pretending to be nobles and putting their noses up at whoever they thought was beneath them.
Greed overtook them and they took over the Château and the Potter estate riches, squandering it all on clothes, parties and so on and living poor Celeste to do all the work.
Their own personal maid.
They gave her the attic as her new room, with only a rickety bed, an old dresser and a semi working toilet by the other side of a door and a candle lamp.
She only had animal friends to talk to in the house. Jaq, Gus, Mary and 6 others which she named and had the ability to talk to them. Of course, it wasn't that hard to learn to talk to them, if only you'd just believe.
Of course, they were times the Dursleys didn't want her around, and those times, they'd tell her to stay away from the house for some time.
That was how she met the Weasleys and Grangers.
They were both really nice.
The weasleys were 9 in number with 7 children. The Grangers were only 3 with a daughter.
She later became best friends with the daughter and a weasley son. Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley.
Years had passed since her parent's death though, when another tragedy struck again. Celeste was 9 at the time when Vernon died.
It made Petunia into a much more bitter woman and Celeste made sure to stay away and obey her during her mourning period.
Now, years have passed and Celeste Potter has grown into a beautiful young woman aged 19.
It was morning already.
The sun was shining beautifully and birds were chirping. The Castle bells rang from up the hill, waking the kingdom up to a new day.
6am.
That meant a young lady in potter Château should be waking up by now.
Attic
Celeste groaned as the castle's bell reached her ears, pulling her from her sleep. One more minute, she thought, trying to get back to the wonderful sleep she'd been having, but the bell rang continuously, drawing her fully awake.
She sat up on her rickety bed, groaning.
"Alright! Alright! I'm awake! No need to increase in volume!"
She grumbled, scratching her luscious locks out of her face as it lay in disarray over her head.
Sighing, she stood up, walking to her dresser and opening a drawer to bring out her maid outfit. It was a sky blue elbow length shirt, dark brown flowing skirt to her calf and a white apron on the skirt, with a black cover shoe that had seen better days.
She went to her mini bathroom, taking a cold bath. The Dursleys didn't think she deserved hot water.
Once she was done, she put on her clothes, carrying her nightgown out and spreading it on the fire place where pottery used to be done years ago. She combed her midnight black waist length hair out, tying a light blue ribbon to it.
She then cleared her throat.
"Okay everyone! Wake up, its morning!"
And just like that, she heard groans and tittering. She giggled, covering her mouth as about 8 mice came out from a hole in the wooden walls, scratching, stretching, yawning among others. 4 blue birds flew from a nearby tree into the room, twittering at everything and Celeste smiled and waved at them.
"Good morning everyone… the day has started."
"Why can't he day be any longer?"
A mice called jaq muttered and a fat one called Gus nodded in agreement.
"Because we have to wake up from our dreams at some point jaq. I was having the most amazing dream as well! But that darned bell woke me up too… I do wonder if the bell boy ever has enough sleep though… the poor thing."
"At least he doesn't live here though, right Celeste?"
Gus piped up and the others nodded and spoke among each other and Celeste sighed.
"Yes yes, you're right… now I have to go now. Before the family wake up."
She waved them and turned to walk out of her attic room, glancing at the pictures of her parents hanging on the wall, smiling and walking out.
She came down a flight of staircases and went straight to the kitchen, humming as she put a kettle on fire and brought out plates.
She heard a bark and turned out the window to see a black dog barking at her. She grinned and waved.
"Morning padfoot, up for a sport of breakfast?"
He barked once more and she grinned, walking to the cupboard and bringing out all assortments of animal food for the animals in the Château.
Just then, a bright orange ugly fat cat crawled in, looking as distinguished as it could with its pressed in face and bow legs.
It moved to the centre of the large kitchen and to a circular rug and fell to it, looking at her and giving her a snobby
"Meow"
Celeste snorted and rolled her eyes.
"Well good morning, your Majesty"
She said sarcastically and he sniffed.
She brought out his cat bowl, dropping it in front of him and pouring a nice amount of milk into it and he dove face first into it, dripping milk on the rug.
Celeste groaned as she packed all the animal foods again.
"Crookshanks! You keep doing that everyday! Its become quite old! And stop wasting perfectly good milk, do you know how many people wish to have what you have?"
He ignored her and she sighed. Honestly! The cat was a demon on another level, always giving her extra work to do! Like she didn't have enough already!
She opened the back door and began feeding all the animals, from the chickens to the ducks, to Buckbeak the horse and Padfoot the dog. The mouse were also there and she spared some for them as well, urging them to go back to hiding before the mean cat saw them again.
She went back to the kitchen, taking the kettle off the stove and pouring it into 3 mini tea pots, she poured milk into 3 milk pots and grabbed some tea leaves, sugar and cups and spoons and putting it on a tray, just in time for the bell in the kitchen to start ringing, indicating her step mother asking for her morning tea as well as her daughters.
She carried the tray gracefully up the stairs, stopping at the first room, Abigail's.
She knocked.
"Well come on in, I haven't got all day!"
A nasty voice sounded from the inside, Celeste sighed and opened the door to a large room covered in curtains with a 4 poster curtained bed in the middle, a large vanity in one side, a wardrobe in another, and a door leading to a bathroom.
She moved to a table and dropped the tea cup, pots, sugar and spook on it and her step sister sat up.
Celeste had to cover a wince at the sight. She looked…well, unflattering.
Her shoulder length dirty blonde hair was tangled in a halo over her face, spittle dripping from her mouth down her double chin. Her acne standing out even more a d her beetle black eye sneering sinisterly at Celeste.
"Well move! And grab that basket of clothes will you! They need ironing. I have something important to do in town today after all!"
She shooed Celeste away, pouring the whole pot of sugar into he cup.
Celeste nodded and moved towards the basket, ignoring her step sister as she planned on giving herself diabetes. She'd told her before how bad too much sugar was but she got punished for it. She definitely wasn't going to try that anymore thank you very much!
Carrying the basket and the tray was something she'd learnt to balance over her time with the Dursleys.
She moved to the other room. Charlotte's.
Knocking, she received a grunt and walked in to see Charlotte packing some clothes into a similar basket. Yes, she had work to do today.
"Set the tray on the table and take this clothes! Some buttons need mending and I want them before tonight! Okay??"
Celeste sighed.
"Yes Charlotte"
Charlotte was thin, tall and bony like her mother while Abigail was her fathers copy.
Charlotte was horse looking with long giraffe neck and her mother's watery blue eyes and shoulder length dirty blonde hair.
Then she moved to the last room which she dreaded.
She knocked and was allowed entry in. It seemed Crookshanks had finished his breakfast as he entered with her and immediately went to the bed, setting himself comfortably and falling asleep.
"Good morning Aunt Petunia"
"Pick up the laundry and do your duties"
She sniffed, looking at her bony manicured hands.
"Yes Aunt Petunia"
She grabbed the last laundry and was about going when she was stopped again.
"Oh, before you go, I have more… chores for you"
Celeste winced at that. She had thought she could do all the laundry and ironing and mending and then go visit her friends! This wasn't fair!
"Yes aunt Petunia?"
She grumbled
"Excuse me?"
Her aunt's eyes narrowed at the tone.
"I said yes aunt Petunia?"
She spoke out loudly this time so as not to get extra punishment this time, but she knew… Petunia liked to see her suffering. She won't allow the horse to win.
"Hm… anyways"
She brought out a parchment of paper and unrolled it.
"The large carpet in the hall, clean it! And the windows, upstairs and downstairs, wash them! And the tapestries and the draperies—"
"But I've already done those—"
"Did I give you the permission to speak! The garden, don't or get them, and sweep the hall and the stairs, and clean the chimneys. And of course, there's the laundry and the mending and the sewing, not forgetting the food preparation as I take the girls for clothes shopping. Oh… and one more thing… see that Crookshanks gets his bath"
"MEOW!!"
"But Aunt—"
"Now out!"
Celeste walked out defeated. As much as she lived having a roof over her head, the prospect of running away was sounding much more appealing in her head. She cleaned a stray tear from her face as the twins passed her smirking. She wouldn't give them the opportunity if seeing her broken.
Never!
Meanwhile in the castle.
The kings office. The king Edward sat in front of his desk in a disgruntled mood as the grand duke, Horace Slughorn shook his head.
"My son has been neglecting his duties for far too long! Its high time he settled down!"
He moaned pityingly at him and the duke rolled his eyes, nodding patronizingly at him and Slughorn spoke up. The king was a fat short and plump man with a round belly and kind face, though when angered, needed to be feared.
"Of course your Majesty, but we must be patient!"
"I am patient!!" he shouted at the duke, pointing his sharp sword carelessly at the duke who gulped and raised his hands as if to protect his face from the onslaught.
"But I'm not getting any younger you know, I want to see my grand children before I go on my next great adventure! Hmm… now where have I heard that before?"
"I understand that sire…"
"No! No you don't know what it means, to see your only child grow farther, farther and much farther away from you! I'm lonely in this desolate old palace… I want to hear the pitter patter of little feet's again!"
He sighed, massaging his forehead.
"Now, now sire… don't you think you're trying to force the boy into something he might not like? Maybe if you left the boy to his own—"
"Silly romantic ideas?? Bah! He'd never get married before I die then! No! I have to do something!"
He stood up, pacing from one place to another in his office.
"But sire—"
"There has to be something…"
"But… if the boy suspects…"
"Ah! He won't! The boys coming home tomorrow right?"
"Yes sire…"
"And what could be more natural than a ball to welcome his return??"
"Nothing sire…"
"If all eligible maidens in my kingdom just… happened to be there, why he's bound to show interest in one isn't he?? And the moment he does! Soft lights… romantic music… all the trimmings… it can't possibly fail can it!"
He grinned maniacally and Slughorn moved back cautiously.
"Y-yes s-sire… uh, no s-sire…very well sire! I shall arrange the ball for the next week—"
"no no no no no! Make it the night he returns you buffoon!"
"Oh but sire—"
"And every eligible maiden must attend! Make sure the message is sent by tomorrow morning all over the land!"
Slughorn sighed.
"Yes, your majesty…"
The king smiled maniacally once more, moving to the beat of some music in his head and Slughorn carefully backed away from him and out the room, carefully securing it. It wouldn't do after all, for rumors to pass about the king losing his sanity.
Next day.
Celeste is Cleaning the marble staircase, humming a song her mother used to sing for her when she couldn't sleep at night. The Nightingale song, when there was a knock on the door.
"Open in the name of the king!"
Oh my! The king!
She stood up, dusting her hands and went to open the door.
It was a plump short man with a letter in his hands.
"An urgent letter from his imperial Majesty"
She took it and curtseyed and he bowed, walking away.
Curious about the letter but knowing she couldn't open it, she quickly rushed to her aunt's room where the twins were as well, arguing about who was the fairest in the land between both of them. Celeste had to stifle a chuckle. She really didn't want to burst their bubble.
"Yes? And what do you want?"
Petunia sneered at her.
"Well, uh, you see, this just arrived from the palace!"
The girls squealed.
"The palace!"
Abigail got to it first, snatching it from Celeste's hand to open it but Charlotte dragged it from her as well.
"No! Let me read it!"
"No, its mine!"
"I want to read it!"
Before they could destroy the letter though, Petunia grabbed it from their hands.
"Let me read it instead girls…"
She tore open the envelope and her eyes bulged out from what she read.
"What's it say mother?"
"Well! Oh my! There's to be a ball!"
"A ball?!" the girls squealed and Celeste smiled dreamily at the mention of a ball.
"In honor of the prince!"
"THE PRINCE!!!!"
The twins squealed, hugging each other in happiness.
"And by royal command, every eligible maiden is to attend!"
Abigail cheered.
"Why that's us!"
"And I'm so eligible!"
Charlotte smiled, twirling her long skirt and Abigail snorted.
"Like the prince would look at your bony self! He'd be too busy staring at me and my large bosoms!"
She smiled smugly, her hands on her bosoms as Charlotte glared at her.
"Well that's the only thing he can stare at because you're a dumb blonde!"
"You're blonde too Blondie!!"
They were about to start fighting when Celeste finally spoke up.
"Why that means I can go too!"
Her aunt and the twins turn to stare at her.
Then the twins start laughing.
"Ah! Her dancing with the prince!"
Abigail snorted and Charlotte spoke.
"I'd be honored your highness… would you mind holding my broom?"
The girls laughed as they demonstrated the dance but Celeste wasn't backing down.
"Well why not! The letter did say 'every eligible maiden' after all"
The girls stared at her in shock before turning to their mother who was staring at Celeste with a scheming face.
"Mother! You can't let her go!"
"She'd ruin everything!"
They whined at petunia before she quieted them.
"Well… I don't see why you can't go… if you get all your work done all the time there's a chore"
"Yes! Of course aunt Petunia!"
"And… if you do find something… reasonable to wear of course."
Celeste beamed.
"Of course! Oh thank you aunt Petunia, thank you!"
She was about leaving when petunia stopped her.
"No no, not now… you will be leaving the house now as I'm taking the girls for their music lessons and to get themselves their own ball gowns. We'll be back by 7 in the evening and you'll have to warm our dinner and fetch us clean beddings."
"Oh...well I'm sure I'll have the time tomorrow then."
She smiled, as she could use this opportunity to go visit her friends. She was out the door in no time.
"Mother!"
Abigail groaned.
"Don't forget girls… I said 'if'"
"Oh….'if'"
They all smiled evilly.