The following morning, Celeste woke up bright and early, a grin on her face as she stared out her window in the attic, staring at the wondrous palace that stood mightily a distance away.
She hummed happily, cleaning herself and quickly dressing in her best outfit which wasn't much in the first place.
She suddenly became nervous.
The prince had seen her all dressed up like a proper princess. Covered in diamonds and gloss, but now, she'd be just herself and nothing else.
The though both excited her and scared her as well.
The Grand Duke would have already started his travels and by evening he should at least be getting to the manor.
The number of unwedded females of marriageable age in the kingdom was quite a huge number!
She bit her lip worriedly though, at the thought of the slipper fitting someone else but she idly hoped it wouldn't.
It was a magical slipper, was it not?
Basically made for only her.
She went through her hidden belongings, bringing out the second pair and staring at it in the sunlight and it sparkled as she giggled.
It truly was a beauty, no doubt about that.
Like something that should be kept in a museum of sorts and not worn at the feet.
It was a vision.
"CELESTE!"
The cold voice of her aunt shook her out of her daydream and she quickly hid the slipper under her pillow as her aunt slammed her door open, staring at her imperiously.
"Good morning Aunt Petunia."
She greeted courteously, not wanting to anger her aunt on a day as special as the day was.
Her aunt sneered at her.
"I had wondered what was keeping you so late. Of course, only you would think you had a chance with the prince!"
She scoffed, staring at the old baby blue dress on Celeste, looking her up and down in disgust.
"The prince is not blind child, so prepare to be disappointed."
Celeste looked down, covering her anger and hurt from her aunt, not wanting to show any weakness.
"Now quick! Make some tea for my girls and bring it to my room. Immediately! There's no time to waste!"
Petunia turned, sniffing in disgust at the room and walking away, slamming the door shut.
Celeste looked back up with a sigh as her little mouse friends came out from their hidey homes and she grinned at them.
"It's okay you guys. I have a feeling today would be a great day. We just have to wait and hope the Grand Duke arrives quickly so I can walk away from this… life. For good."
She finished resonated before leaving her room to do what her Petunia had told her to do.
By afternoon, the Grand Duke and party had arrived at the Granger and Weasley street and Ginny squealed happily as she saw them from the window.
A grin on her face as she wore a simple but we'll put together gown… in her own opinion, that is.
The Grand Duke soon arrived at the Granger household and the messenger with him, knocked before shouting out.
"Announcing His Imperial Grace, The Grand Duke!"
Mr. Granger opened the door and bowed respectfully at Slughorn who have him a semi bow back.
"Welcome, your Grace. Please, do come in."
He gestured into his modest home and the Duke walked in along with the messenger and 4 guards, one including Rolf Scamander who, as soon as he spotted Hermione standing by her mother, gave her a slightly imperceptible nod which she gave back to him.
"This is my wife, Miss Emma Granger, and my only daughter, also unwedded… Miss Hermione Granger."
Mr. Granger introduced the two females who courtesy and the Grand Duke nodded at them.
"Very well, we should begin the testing."
He said, gesturing to a guard who held a small opened chest, and in it, sat the beautiful and glittering glass slipper on a maroon red cushion, and the slipper seemed to absorb the light in the room as the Grangers stared at it in awe.
The Grand Duke immediately knew they weren't the ones, as anyone would recognize their lost belonging and stare at it with fondness, rather than awe.
He stifled a sigh, knowing he would have to continue his journey.
"Alright then, would the Miss Granger sit so we can test out the shoe on her?"
"Of course."
She replied, moving to a sofa and removing her flats as a guard kneeled by her side, turning to the other guard with the chest who bent just a bit and the slipper was taken and daintily tried on her fit.
But as the rest of the other female population, it didn't fit.
The young lady didn't try to force it on or squeeze her toe in like the rest of the others and instead just gave a smile.
"It doesn't belong to me, sire."
She said and he nodded, a small sigh of relief at not having to fight off another lady.
They then moved next door, a crowd growing behind them that had been following since they began their journey.
It seemed that a lot of people really wanted to know just who the young beautiful maiden had been.
Slughorn himself was curious.
She must be pretty special for the prince to go through this much trouble searching for her and he had been so sure he'd find her with the slipper.
The Grand Duke just hoped for his sake that it would be the girl he danced with that would fit the slipper as if it wasn't and another girl did, the king would not care one bit and force his son into that marriage.
The next house was a rickety looking one, standing tall in an abnormaly crooked what that made you cautious at the thought of it falling over.
'Is that not the Weasley household?'
He heard some villagers gossip.
'Ah! The Grand Duke should turn away now as he wouldn't find what he's looking for there! Only a crazy girl with an equally crazy mummy!'
They laughed and another person spoke again.
'Did you hear about their youngest son impregnating the Sir Brown's daughter?'
Slughorn sighed, walking towards the door, distancing himself from the crowd and the messenger moved to announce their presence when the door was yanked open by an older looking redhead woman who had a rather manic grin on her face and Slughorn stifled a sigh, knowing there would be drama here.
"Ah… your Grace! Welcome to our humble abode! Please, do come in!"
She gestured dramatically and the Grand Duke walked in, 4 guards going with him.
He looked around when he walked in.
The house, while… homey looking, was certainly not a place that could afford a clearly expensive slipper as the one in he chest.
He sighed.
Another failure.
He needed a drink.
3 other people were in the house.
An older redhead gentleman who looked nice but meek, a younger boy who looked like he'd rather be anywhere but where he was and a young redhead girl, dressed in an unappealing brown and gold gown, trying to look all classy and lady like.
"This is my daughter, sire… she'll be testing her slipper again."
She grinned and the young lady nodded, moving to sit down and Slughorn frowned at the lack of manners of the family.
In fact, only the older gentleman had bowed when he walked in.
Slughorn took it as speeding up his time as he immediately gestured to the guard with the chest and he opened it and the whole family gasped as they took in the beauty in the room.
The boy's eyes seemed to have money revolving in them and the young girl's eyes widened with greed, similar to her mother who tried to grab the slipper but a guard stepped in front of her.
"No need, Mrs. Weasley. A guard will be trying it on for your daughter instead."
"Oh."
She let out, before smiling and cooing at her daughter.
"Looks like you'll be practicing how you'll be treated when you start living in the castle, hm?"
The young redhead smiled at her mum, her nose up in the air as a guard knelt in front of her with the slipper, trying it on for her.
Thankfully, it didn't fit.
But chaos reigned immediately.
"Well, looks like you're not the maiden after all."
Slughorn said, gesturing for the guard to return it and Molly shook her head desperately.
"No, no, no! I assure you my daughter was the one!"
She tried to convince them while a shell shocked Miss Weasley snapped out of it.
"NO! THE SLIPPER IS MINE! I AM THE GIRL FROM THE BALL! GIVE ME IT!"
She shouted, standing up and pushing her father who had been trying to placate her out of the way and into the young man who slipped and fell, his head landing in the fireplace, soot covering his entire head and hair as he coughed out.
"Sorry, young lady but the rule is the rule. You try it, if it doesn't fit, then it's not you."
Miss Weasley shook her head.
"No! I am telling you! I was the one in the brown—I mean blue gown!"
She stuttered, her mother trying to hold the Grand Duke but the guards stood in front of him and Slughorn decided to use the opportunity to escape from the obviously crazy family.
"No! Sire wait! I'll show you it's my daughter! She is to be wedded to the prince!"
"Come back! It's my slipper! I'm a princess!!!"
She screamed maniacally as their front door was closed and Slughorn sighed in relief, though he could still hear the pandemonium left behind.
"Mummy! I'm the girl!!! I danced with the prince like you said! I was the girl was I not?!"
Slughorn heard her cry as he left, shaking her head, wondering if the girl was sick or not.
Oh well, off to the next house.
Celeste stood in the living room, her cousins and aunt also there.
Her cousins were chattering around, staring out the window in ridiculously colored gowns while Petunia sat down, trying to look impeccable but failing.
"Oh I can't wait for the Grand Duke to get here!"
Abigail gushed as she twirled around, almost bumping into a vase and Charlotte snorted.
"I don't know why you're excited when it's me whose feet will fit the slipper."
Abigail glared angrily at her sister.
"No it won't! You horse faced wretch!"
Charlotte gasped before glaring at her sister.
"Yes it will, you whale sized donkey!"
Before it could escalate into a fight, Petunia cut in.
"GIRLS! You must not ruffle your outfits! You must look impeccable for when the Grand Duke arrives after all. So when you're presented before the king, he would be amazed."
She smirked and Celeste rolled her eyes, amusement dancing in her eyes as she couldn't wait for the Grand Duke to arrive so she could surprise everyone by bringing out the second pair of the slipper.
She idly touched the pocket she'd down into her blue gown and gasped quietly when she suddenly remembered the slipper was still under her pillow.
She cleared her throat.
"Excuse me, Aunt Petunia, but I need to get something from my room. I'll be right back."
She said, asking for permission and her cousins snorted.
"I really don't know why you even want to try out the slipper. I mean, who'd want to marry a maid."
Celeste suddenly glared at her cousins, surprising them.
"I am not a maid. I'm case you've forgotten, my father was a Lord and that makes me a lady. Excuse me."
She turned, rushing up the stairs, a small grin on her face as she wondered where that confidence had come from.
Abigail and Charlotte though, were left in a state of shock that they'd been talked to by someone like… Celeste!
Their mother's eyes narrowed even more before she excused herself from her daughter's and sneakily followed Celeste up the stairs, waiting for the right time as she entered into her room and moved to her bed, Petunia yanks the key out, startling Celeste who turned just as her aunt slams the door short and locks it and Celeste gasps in fear as she rushed to the door and tries to open it but it doesn't budge.
Tears well up in her eyes as she slammed her hands on the door angrily.
"Aunt Petunia! What are you doing!?"
Petunia scoffed from behind the door.
"You didn't expect that I'd actually let you rest that slipper?"
She scoffed.
"Even without you entering your room, I'd have found another way to keep you from trying out that slipper. I had suspected something was up with the way you kept smiling at the thought of the prince. Rather suspicious, don't you think? Your seeming confidence that you'd be able to fit the slipper. I couldn't let you do that."
Celeste sobbed, her heartbeat unstable as she pitifully begged her aunt.
"Aunt Petunia. Please, don't do this. You've already taken everything from me. Don't do this. I beg of you."
But Petunia tutted.
"Now, child. Who said I was done with you before? You need to learn your place after all. I'll call you when one of your cousins fits the shoe. Enjoy the rest of your evening."
She drawled, ignoring her niece's cry of help, even as the sound of the door being banged on and her shouts became lighter till she got back to the living room area and Abigail squealed, looking out the window.
"Mother! Here comes the Grand Duke!"
"And a crowd of other people too!"
Charlotte added and Petunia smirked.
The time had arrived.
So what did you think??
Also about Ginny?! Ah!
Oh Petunia. I never was a fan of her.
Please comment on what you think!