Chapter 7: September 1st, 1943
After making it through travelling checks in Spain and France, I arrive in the Leaky Cauldron before flooing to King's Cross Station. I step out of the green flames and drag my suitcase over to the conductor who puts it all in the luggage compartment. I keep my satchel on me as I go to the back of the train to where the Slytherin's all went. I spot my friends in a compartment and walk in. "Hello, ladies. How was summer?" Everyone looked quite glum. "Oh, no. What happened?"
"Walburga (Black), Rose (Burke), Melania (Rosier), Erica (Yaxley) and I were all officially engaged over the summer." Michelle (Avery) answers with a sad look. "Walburga's engaged to her second cousin – Orion Black; Rose is marrying Jack Rosier – Erica's cousin; Melania's marrying Jonas Flint; Erica's engaged to Michael MacMillan and I'm engaged to my uncle."
"That's…I'm speechless." I state. "Your family are actually going through with it?"
"Yeah." Michelle replies.
"I'm so sorry." I apologise as I hug her.
"At least he and I have an understanding of we will only have to consummate the marriage to make it legal then we won't have to have sex again."
"But still, to have sex with your uncle…" Rachel (Burke) trails off.
"I know." Michelle says, scrunching her nose in disgust. "But I can't get out of it unless..."
"Unless?" I ask.
"My uncle dies." Michelle finishes. "But I'm not down with murdering someone."
"Or you could leave the family fold." I point out.
"Yes, but I could never speak to my family again." Michelle protests.
"You could find a pure-blood wizard in mainland Europe to appease them for not marrying your pre-blood uncle." I counter.
"I could." She looks deep in thought. "Do you know any pureblood families in mainland Europe?"
"Plenty." I answer. "Mainland Europe has over 100 at least. It gives you at least 4 times the amount that you can choose from in the 'Sacred Twenty-Eight'."
"Do you know any families personally?" She asks.
"My parents do." I answer. "I'll send them a letter. See if anyone is of an appropriate age who would like to meet you. Any preferences?" She shakes her head.
"No, no. Well, I would like to be closer to home but other than that, I have no preferences as long as they're pure-blood to appease my parents."
"I will cross off Eastern Europe and the Balkans then." I say with a smile as I begin to write a letter to my parents.
"Thank you, Reine." Michelle states. "You're a good friend."
"Is there any chance you can do the same for me?" Rach asks next to me.
"And me!" Erica adds in.
"Sure." I reply as I add in Rach's and Erica's name to the letter. "Again, any preferences?"
"No, my family are awful!" Erica chimes in. "As far away as possible."
"Not too far but not too close either." Rach answers.
"So, Western and Northern Europe for Michelle; Central Europe and Southern Europe for Rachel; and Eastern Europe and South Eastern Europe for Erica. Or even further to East Asia, maybe, Erica?"
"I would but my parents are racist." Erica mumbles with an angry look. "You have no idea how difficult it is to not punch them in the face."
"I'll also make sure the families, or at least the potential partners, are not prejudice in any way." I add in, much to their relief.
Chère Mama,
Avez-vous envie de faire des marieurs? Mes amis de l'école sont forcés par leur famille à un mariage arrangé sans amour avec un pur sang britannique. Y a-t-il une chance que vous trouviez des célibataires et des jeunes célibataires que mes amis pourraient rencontrer?
Erica voudrait un mec d'Europe de l'Est car elle veut être loin de chez elle. Rachel voudrait un homme quelque part en Europe centrale ou méridionale. Michelle aimerait être plus proche de chez elle en Europe occidentale.
J'attends de tes Nouvelles.
Je t'aime,
Reine xxx
I give my letter to Rachel's owl. "This is going to my villa in Spain. The one you've visited before." The owl blinks and I open the window, letting it out. "Wait, Michelle, shouldn't you be in the prefect cabin?" Michelle shakes her head.
"Nah, Head Boy and girl are relaxed this year. We have to go half an hour into the journey." Michelle explains. "Plenty of time for you to see Tom." Michelle winks. "How are you and Tom?"
"Excellent." I answer with a grin. "We said the 'I Love you' at the start of summer." The girls squeal in excitement.
"And how was it with him staying at yours for some of the summer?" Rachel asks.
"Good, we had dinners, went to the beach, maybe a little snog or two in the library." The girls giggle as they prod me for answers as to how it was. "Fantastic." There was a knock on the door and Tom peeks his head in.
"Hello, Ladies, might I steal Reine for an hour?" He asks and they all nod with their consent. I take Tom's hand and we walk into a different compartment on the carriage. Tom sits down and I sit down next to him and lean against him when Tom wraps an arm around me. "It's been two weeks too long since I've seen you."
"It's only been two weeks." I protest with a fond look.
"Too long." He counters before kissing me. I melt into the kiss as caresses my back. I silently spell the compartment to not emit a sound and for people to think that the compartment was full, and to lock the door. "Hmm, what did you just do?"
"The muffliato charm and a charm to the windows that makes people think that the inside is full of people when it is only us two." I explain. "I've also locked the door." He brings me in for another deep kiss.
"Have I ever told you that I absolutely love when you explain things?" He asks and I raise an eyebrow.
"No, actually, you haven't." I answer with a glint in my eye. "It's just shameful that you haven't."
"Agreed." He murmurs as he places me on his lap. "Let me make it up to you." He dives in and kisses me until I'm completely breathless. The thing about kissing Tom is that it always feels new and fresh. It doesn't feel as though I've kissed him before even though I have. He kisses and nibbles down the column of my throat and rolls my turtleneck down to reach my sensitive spot on my throat. He gently sucks at my flesh, creating a zing of pleasure in my lower region, applying a slight pressure with his teeth, making me gasp, before he places a few licks and kisses on the spot before he nibbles back up my throat to kiss me again. And what a good bloody kiss it was.
"Can I try?" I question, looking at him. He all but groans at my suggestion.
"Be my guest." He replies and I bring him on for a deep before I interchange between pecks and nips as I make my way down his throat. He tightens his hands on my hips as I nip into a sensitive spot of flesh on the base of his throat. I tenderly suck the spot for several seconds before lightly applying my teeth to the equation. I remain like that for another several seconds before letting go and licking the bruise softly before kissing back up to his mouth. Breaking away from the kiss, we both pant heavily. I place my head on his shoulder.
"How was that?" I murmur.
"We're definitely doing that again." He replies as he wraps his arms around my back in a hug.
"You know, you have to go to the Prefects compartment soon then do your rounds." I point out as I don't move from where I am.
"I can just say that I was delayed by mon amour." He counters and I laugh.
"I don't think the Head Boy and Girl would accept that." I protest. "Better yet, the female prefects won't accept that."
"I couldn't care less." He states. "I only want you." He nuzzles my neck. "I don't like the way that the male prefects look at you. Or any of the male students who look at you."
"I don't like it either." I admit with a grimace. "Same with you and the female population of Hogwarts." I pause. "You're mine."
"Always." He rumbles back with a barely contained growl. "And you're mine."
"Always." I repeat back to him and he practically purrs at that. "Mon psychopathe."
"Mon petit loup." He replies. Tom had been learning French over the summer and was becoming pretty good at it. So, because I've been calling him 'my psychopath' in mostly French, he's taken to calling me 'Mon petit loup' which means 'My little wolf'. A reference to my animagus and the crest of the Géroux family. Coincidentally, Géroux derives from the name Gerulf which means 'spear wolf'. "Are you sure that I can't maim them for looking at you?"
"No, you can't." I say. "Or I would have to maim everyone for looking at you."
"Honestly, I think that would be totally gorgeous site." He mumbles back and I cuff his head, making him grumble. "Fine."
"Plus, they're only looking." I emphasis the last word. "If it went further than that, I can assure you that I would be the one maiming before you even got a chance." I had been taking self-defence training over the summer with a few other witches in the area.
"That's my girl." He murmurs. "Leave a few for me, would you?"
"Only if you're next to me." I tease. "If not, no maiming for you."
"I guess I'm gonna have to stick close to you for the rest of Hogwarts."
"I'm pretty sure that you were planning on doing that anyway."
"I was but now, you won't get a break."
"Hmm, comfortable silences during studying, holding your hand, snogging behind drapery and statues." I list off. "You're making it sound bad."
"When you put it like that…" He trails off, leaning back to give me a grin with all his teeth showing. "Are you enthralled for 6th year?" He teases and I frown. "What's wrong?"
"Before I travelled here, the future had Albus Dumbledore dying at the hands of Death Eaters during the end of my 6th year." I explain as I lay my head in the junction of his neck to shoulder. "I did take my exams, but I never got my results because by then, Lord Voldemort had taken over the Ministry."
"What happens now that the future is changed?" Tom asks.
"Well, 'Tantum Mundi', that's the pure-blood supremacy organisation storms Hogwarts at the end of my 6th year and they kill a few younger students, and we all had to go underground including Dumbledore. Only the Pure-Bloods and Half-Bloods were allowed to remain at Hogwarts. I went underground with my family as I was one of the main rebels along with Harry, Hermione and Ron. I didn't get my results either." I frown. "I probably could've got them once the battle was over, but I had no time too."
"So, essentially, you would be taking your exams a 3rd time and you're worried that something will happen between your exams and getting your results as it has done in the past." Tom sums up and I nod. "Okay, well, the only thing at large is Grindelwald. Does Dumbledore still defeat him in your new future?" I nod. "Then I promise, Reine Géroux, that I will make sure nothing happens to you. Ever. Including during the summer." I kiss his collarbone in thanks. "I would've said your middle name, but I seem to be at a disadvantage because you never told me it." I giggle. "What so funny, Miss. Géroux?"
"Reine is my middle name." I answer with mirth as I lean back to face him.
"How am I just finding out about this?" Tom asks with a frown and I shrug.
"I never really thought about it, to be honest." I reply with a furrowed brow. "I couldn't exactly go by my first name, so, I went with my middle name."
"What is your first name then?"
"Céleste." I answer.
"Céleste." He tries it on his tongue, and I scrunch my nose up.
"I like it better when you say Reine." I state and he snorts.
"I know you as Reine, I don't think I can change your name this far down the line." He agrees and I smile and peck his cheek.
"Thank you." I murmur and he does a smile that makes me all gooey inside. "You know, you should probably go to the Prefect compartment." He buries his head into my shoulder.
"I want to stay with you." I run my hands through his hair.
"You have to go, Tom." I protest as I lean back. "I'll be with my friends who I didn't get to see over the summer." Tom, honest to God, pouts. "Come see me when you've done your rounds for a while." Tom groans and I stand up, so, he could stand up. I take undo all the spells to the compartment and open the door, stepping out. Tom steps in front of me and wraps me up in a hug with a peck on the cheek.
"I'll see you later." He drops his tone down an octave which makes me shiver and him smirk.
"Later, mon psychopathe." I step back and wink before sauntering off in the other direction. I could feel Tom's gaze on me as I went which made me smirk. I step into the compartment where my friends were and sit down. "Hello again, Ladies." I sit down where I originally was. "So, what's been happening for the past hour for you?"
"Just talking about our future potential matches and our hopes." Michelle answers. "I don't think I need to ask what you've been doing." She points at my unrolled turtleneck and my hickey. Dammit, Tom.
"In my defence, we've only gone this far, and he has one too match." I point to my hickey. "Tom and I are not ready for going further than this. He's being an utter and complete gentleman."
"Good." Rachel states. "We wouldn't want it any other way." They still looked all worried.
"My mama will be quick with her replies." I say to their worried faces. "She will only choose the best wizards for you. From the best families who are known for being kind, not abusive." Sighs of relief cross the compartment and I smile. I think everything is going to be fine this year.
Tom popped in and out several times to see me before we got to Hogsmeade Station at 6pm. We all clamber out of the train and into the carriages pulled by Thestrals. Tom sits beside me. "Tom! Where are you going? Come beside by us!" A girl shouts from the carriage behind us and Tom rolls his eyes.
"No, thank you." He replies, politely. "I'm quite content to sit next to my girlfriend." There were outraged gasps coming from the carriage behind us. Why won't the carriage just move?
"Are you sure?" A voice like honey calls from the carriage and I look at them. Light brown hair; green eyes; light olive tone; beautiful. But there was something about her…
"I'm quite sure." He insists and, thankfully, the carriage starts to move.
"How did you do that?" I ask with wide eyes.
"Do what?" He replies with a frown.
"Rejected a Veela using her powers?" I question and he raises an eyebrow.
"She was a Veela?" He asks and I nod. "I'm not sure. I mean, I know my own mind and there is no where I'd rather be than with you." The girls make 'Aww' sounds in the carriage and I roll my eyes at my friends.
"How did you know she was Veela?" Erica questions. Fleur and Gabrielle Delacour.
"I had a friend who was a few years older than me at Beauxbatons." I lie. "She was a Veela. She told me how to suss out a Veela in a crowd. It's quite useful." I turn to Tom. "Her powers didn't work on you for whatever reason therefore she must not be a full Veela or you wouldn't be with us. At most, I think she might be ½ or ¼ Veela." I turn to scan the groups. "The males of Hogwarts don't know what hit them."
"Here I thought we would have another boring year at Hogwarts." Michelle comments and we all chuckle as the carriage comes to a stop. We make our way up the castle steps and into the Great Hall, sitting down in the middle of the table. I was seated between Tom and Rachel as we watch the first years come in along with the additional of the Veela from earlier and a male who could be her twin? Bloody hell, there's two Veelas. The first years were sorted first before the Veelas.
"We have two additional exchange students with us who will be completing their final year of education with us." Dippet announces before sitting back down.
"Josette Labelle." Dumbledore calls out and the female Veela walks up. After a minute, it called out 'Slytherin'. Basically, all the males clapped victoriously apart from Tom. I politely clapped. She sat at the end of the table with Walburga but not before smirking at me. "Matthias Labelle." The brother, the other Veela walk ups to the sorting hat with a smirk. He is also sorted into 'Slytherin'. Tom, Michelle, Rachel, Erica and I were the only ones who didn't clap. Matthias sits by his sister but not before winking at me which Tom growls at and I grab his hand, giving it a squeeze. I lean into him as he wraps an arm around me to pull me close.
"I don't like this." Erica comments from in front of me, looking at them. "They definitely have it out for you two."
"How so?" I ask, curiously.
"Well, the sister is trying her best to get Tom's attention while her brother is doing his best to get your attention." Erica explains. "I'm pretty sure that they want you to break up, so, they can have both of you to themselves."
"But why?" Michelle asks. "They don't even know each other."
"No idea." Erica answers. "But they're only here for 1 year, what's the worst that could happen?" Tom and I exchange looks and look over at the twins who were smirking at us. We're so screwed.