Alexis- Thanks! I'm glad you like it : D

Chapter 4- Old Acquaintance Renewed

Ginny was just reaching for a picture-perfect croissant when the door to the dining room opened again. Xavier glanced up and stood, motioning to Ginny to do the same. She did so, and turned around to watch a beautiful young woman walk into the room. An image from the Quidditch World Cup her third year came to the forefront, and Ginny couldn't help being reminded of Harry's comment that Narcissa Malfoy looked as though she had dung under nose.

"Ginny, this is my sister, Kabira."

Ginny took in the slim, graceful body carriage, the long blonde hair, and the trademark Malfoy sneer, and she had to force herself to smile. "Hello."

"Kabira, this is Ginny Lupin."

Kabira's eyes glided over the too-tight robes, the fair, freckled face, and the brilliant red hair, and her smirk grew. "Charmed, I'm sure."

The three stood quiet for a moment before Ginny's hand brushed the silk of her robes, jogging her memory. "Thank you for the robes, Kabira; they're very lovely, and I appreciate it."

Kabira waved the words away dismissively. "Those old things? I was glad to be rid of them."

Ginny opened her mouth to protest the term 'those old things,' then shut it again. A woman who had a bathrobe made of close-weave silk obviously didn't want for beautiful clothes. She was saved trying to think of something to reply by Jabber's head poking into the room.

"Begging your pardon, Master and Mistresses, but little Mistress is just waking and wanting Mistress."

As Ginny rose with relief, she couldn't help thinking how much that sentence would've made no sense to someone unaccustomed to House Elves. "That'll be Cassie. Excuse me, won't you?" She didn't wait for their nods of acquiescence before hurrying from the room, cheeks glowing faintly with color.

The moment Ginny left the room, Kabira glided to the table and sat down. She reached for a dish, and the siblings were quiet for a few minutes. The young woman sitting there, however, had never been one for keeping her opinion under wraps. "Well, you certainly have a tendency to pick up stray kittens, don't you, Xavier? Just where did you find this one, in the garbage dump?"

Xavier only looked at his sister mildly across the table. "Considering your tendency to bring home any and every man with a wand, I don't think you have much room to comment."

Kabira's chin rose, and she pursed her lips in a 'holier than thou' way. "I'm going to pretend you didn't say that, Xavier."

"Suit yourself."

Kabira was quiet for a few moments, thinking over the room when she'd first entered. "You're attracted to her, aren't you?"

"Mildly so, yes."

The woman tilted her head ever so slightly, regarding her brother through intense gray eyes. "Don't try to give me that, Xavier; I know you. I've never seen you look twice at any woman before, and now I return home to find a little red kitten living here, with you unable to keep your eyes off her."

Xavier lowered his forkful of food back to his plate. "I won't deny that I think she's beautiful, Kabira, but she's a married woman. Now, I don't wish to discuss it."

"Suit yourself," Kabira replied, echoing his earlier words with a maddening calm. She waited until her brother went back to his food before speaking again. "Where, might I ask, is her husband?"

Xavier looked up from his plate, understandably irritated, but his mind was working furiously behind the bored face he presented. Ginny had chosen to reveal her situation to him, yes, but he had a feeling that it was in the strictest of confidences. "I don't know, Kabira, and, quite frankly, it doesn't matter. The fact that he isn't here is what matters, so I'm helping them out until they can manage themselves." Kabira opened her mouth to reply, but Xavier cut her off. "I think we can consider the matter closed."

Kabira narrowed her eyes but remained silent, contenting herself to glaring daggers at her older brother. He was about to tell her to knock that off when a knock sounded at the door behind him. Annoyed at the timing, he barked, "Come."

"Master?"

"What is it, Grappa?"

"Master Riddle is here to see you, sir."

Xavier glanced at his sister in her translucent dressing gown and nearly groaned. He'd forgotten that Tom was coming today, but apparently she hadn't. "Tell him to come in."

Grappa bowed out of the room, and Tom Riddle came striding in a moment later. Xavier rose to greet him.

"Good morning, Tom. How are you?"

"Good morning, Xavier, I'm doing well." Tom caught sight of Kabira and let his gaze roam over her not entirely decent figure. "And good morning to you, Kabira. How are you?"

Kabira blushed lightly, but Xavier knew it was put on; it had been a long time since his sister had actually been embarrassed by something. "I'm well, Tom, quite well."

Tom quirked an eyebrow at the attractive young woman. "So I see."

A knock sounded from the other end of the room, and Jabber poked her head inside once again. "I is bringing Mistress and little Mistress, sir."

Xavier glanced at Tom, and he hesitated a moment before nodding. "Let them in."

Jabber bowed out of the room much that way Grappa had, and Ginny and Cassie appeared in the door way a moment later. Kabira glanced at Tom in a satisfied sort of way, but her pleasure drained away when she saw the interest sprout on his face. Surely he couldn't find the little rat attractive!

Ginny was leading her daughter by the hand as they came into the room, reprimanding her in a no-nonsense sort of voice. "Stop whining, Cassie. I don't care if you're tired or hungry or whatever, you know how I feel about whining." The redhead glanced up a moment later, then did a double-take. Eyes locked on Tom Riddle, she straightened slowly, blood draining from her face, whiny child forgotten.

Tom raised his eyebrows in surprise, his pleasure evident. "Who is this, Xavier?"

Xavier saw Ginny's reaction, and was working to gauge it, but he didn't have much of a choice of what to do at the moment. "Tom, this is Ginny and Cassie Lupin. They're staying with me for a while. Ginny, this is Tom Riddle."