A/N: That CrazyRopeDragon though, always benevolent in her beta-ing of my fic. Thanks to all for sticking with me so far. Back to college now so chapters will be even more sparse. Much love and luck to all!

Chapter Five - I Solemnly Swear that I Could Never Hate You

The letter from Daisy's mother had come as a shock. This wasn't the woman who'd raised her from a year old, who'd fed her, clothed her, loved and cared for her. This wasn't Margaret Morgan. No. This was Gloria Crawley. The woman who'd birthed her, and refused to give her any information on her own father. That is, until now. It must have been a month ago now, and yet she'd take out the letter every now and then and read it. Just to be sure it was real. It begged more questions than it answered. And she wished with all her heart that she'd never read it in the first place.

"Daisy?"

She jumped, "Cedric!" She folded the letter in her hand, "Hi!"

"You keep reading that thing, is everything okay?"

"Fine! Fine, everything's fine. How are you?"

He frowned, "Fine…worried about you though. You've been quiet lately."

"Ach, sure, am'n't I always the quiet one?"

He sat down next to her, "Daisy, you had a fight with George. Something's definitely not okay here."

"What? I didn't have a fight with George. Why would I fight with him?" She was aghast, and then she remembered, "Oh…right…that could've…right…"

He hadn't spoken to her since then. Not alone at least. They were always in the company of the other Gryffindors. Maybe she'd upset him. Granted, he'd upset her, but he didn't know. He could never know. No one can know.

"Daisy?" Cedric's voice brought her back down to earth.

"Yeah, I…annoyed him, probably." She shrugged.

"Talk to him then. This is clearly upsetting you." He placed a hand on hers, and she had to remember not to flinch or pull away.

He was lovely. A picture of every school girl's fantasy. The chiselled features, the slightly tanned skin, the dark hair and eyes. He was well built and tall, almost as tall as Aquila was. He made her feel giddy, and knowing they were together made her giddier. She almost forgot about the letter. Almost.

"You…okay?"

"Admiring your beautiful face darling, don't worry about it." She patted his cheek twice and stood up to leave the common room with a slight swing in her hips. She probably ought to have kissed him. Then again, it was kind of fun to just tease him. Probably why George and Fred did it so often.

Chat in the Great Hall consisted of Sirius Black, the upcoming Quidditch match between Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, Sirius Black, Sirius Black, and maybe classes. She supposed everyone was still in shock. But it made the letter kept always in her shirt pocket weigh so much heavier. It felt more like a block of lead than a piece of paper.

"I know I've asked before…but you seem to be poring over that letter an awful lot," He took her hand as they left the Great Hall together. "It's bothering you, whatever's in it."

Daisy took a breath through her nose and made sure not to slouch, "Not at all. How's Quidditch practice going?"

"It's…going well," Cedric stopped walking and pulled Daisy to one side, "But I won't let that letter drop Daisy. It's been eating away at you for weeks now. Look at you," He put a reassuring hand on her arm, "You didn't eat a thing at breakfast."

She took another breath. She was dying to tell him, absolutely dying. She wanted to tell someone. Anyone. But not him. Not Cedric. He'd understand what it meant better than she. And lord only knew how he'd react…

"Daisy…"

"I can't tell you. I can't. I won't."

"Why not?" He looked slightly hurt.

"Because you'd despise me. The whole school would. The entire wizarding world would." She somehow managed to keep her voice even, "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to get to the library. Hermione will be wondering where I am."

"Daisy please," He kept a gentle hold on her arm, "You'll feel better if you let even one person know."

"It's my cross to bear, Cedric, and I'll bear it."

"You don't have to do it alone."

She really didn't want to have to wrench her arm away, but he just wouldn't let go. He was so desperate to help, "You don't get to make that decision for me. Either walk me to the library or let me go."

Cedric sighed, seeming defeated, "Stubbornness ought to be counted among Hufflepuff traits, if we're anything to go by. I'll let this go; for now." He slipped his hand in her's again.

"I'm not telling you."

"We'll see."

Daisy shot him a playful sneer.

She wouldn't tell him. No one could know. Absolutely no one.

Cedric wasn't the only one who'd noticed Daisy's lack of lustre as of late. Hermione asked if she was well too, and instead theorised that she was down about not speaking to George. "He's not angry with you I think…not really. He's sulking about something, unlikely to be you; O. maybe?"

Regardless of Hermione's theory, Daisy didn't see the supposedly sulky George all day. He and Fred had seemed to have decided to ditch the only class they had together that afternoon – herbology – as they were nowhere to be seen. Professor Sprout seemed relived. Both of them were notoriously bad at herbology. Couldn't tell one plant from another. She supposed it was a good thing they weren't around, since today they were tackling a vicious, poisonous plant. She couldn't deny she longed for a joke or two, the sheer number of opportunities were almost torture.

By the end of the week there was still no getting George on his own. She was absolutely certain he wasn't just annoyed with her, but genuinely angry. She caught him scowling at the Hufflepuff table and scoffing sometimes when she walked past. Was this it? Was this the end of her friendship with George? Over something she couldn't even remember?

Cedric seemed utterly gutted that Hufflepuff had lost the match to Ravenclaw. Daisy had to pretend she wasn't glad it had just ended. It had been pouring rain again, and even with Lee's witty commentary it was still unbearable.

"You'll have a shot next year," She rubbed his back in soothing circles as they sat on his bed.

Cedric sighed, "True…"

"They had the advantage of camouflage though didn't they? I could barely see the navy blue, but the bright yellow? See it from a mile off."

"I suppose… But it was the Snitch that decided it in the end. And I was no match for Chang, she was like a bullet."

"She has a faster broom is all, that's hardly your fault."

"Actually mine's…faster…" He trailed off, seeming to regret having told her.

"Oh." Daisy blinked, "Well, um, O. are on your mind right? Not all of us can have big Quidditch heads on us like Oliver, right?"

Cedric smiled at her, "You don't need to make excuses for me Daisy. I messed up. As a seeker, as a captain. I'll just have to try harder next time, try different tactics."

She hadn't been making excuses for him. She was trying to cheer him up. She just didn't know how. Should she kiss him? It would make sense, wouldn't it?

"Have you spoken to George yet?" She should have kissed him. "I'll take the look on your face as a no," He chuckled.

"He's angry with me, I know he is."

"You won't know for sure until you ask," He shifted slightly to better face her, "I doubt he's angry with you Daisy."

You don't know that. And neither did she. He'd proved his point.

"And I doubt the team is angry with you, Cedric." She put a hand on his, "Go on down, they'll need their spirits lifted."

For a moment Cedric grinned and looked sheepish as he leaned nearer to her until their foreheads almost touched, "Maybe I need mine lifted first, if you don't mind."

"Oh go on, you wagon…"

He kissed her as gently and as timidly as he always did. He kept his hands to himself until Daisy placed her hands on his chest. He placed his on her waist. It was still awkward. There was really no other way to describe it. But to be fair, neither one knew what they were even doing. As quickly as it had begun they pulled away, Cedric bid Daisy goodnight as he went back down to join his teammates. She was too tired to join them. Not physically, but she just couldn't bear the thought of trying to be sociable with people she didn't know all that well. She lay awake for hours trying to figure out how to get George on his own, to try and talk to him. The answer came to her as a sleek black cat sauntered into the room.

"Kitty."

The next morning during breakfast as Daisy listened to Cedric's teammates reassure him time and time again that they were as disappointed as he was, but not in him. He'd done all he could. No one could have predicted that Ravenclaw's new seeker would be so damn fast. "I doubt even Potter could beat her…"

"He'd need a broom for that…" Daisy mumbled, tittering softly at her own remark, and quickly scolding herself for doing so.

"Oh dear, here comes trouble…" Cedric chuckled.

Daisy looked around expecting to see a tall red head, but instead found a very short, slim brunette wearing the Slytherin silver and green. "Oh she doesn't look for trouble, trouble…tends to find her…"

"You know her?" He looked honestly surprised.

"What? I can't be friends with a muggle-born? That's prejudice you know." The Slytherin girl overheard him.

"Kitty…" Daisy was sweating already.

"Kitty? Oh, it's nice to finally meet you." Cedric flashed a dazzling smile at her.

"Caitríona; Kitty for short." She corrected him quickly, her attention still on Daisy and the mission that was to take place, "We goin' Weasley hunting or not Daisy? I swear if I have to hear Malfoy gushing over Aquila anymore I'm gonna be sick…"

"Because you never do that." Daisy rolled her eyes.

"You know, for a Hufflepuff, you can be really mean sometimes." Kitty held a hand to her chest and sniffled dramatically, "My love for Aquila Virgo Valentine is real."

"So is her love for Oliver I've heard." Cedric joined in.

"Well, I mean, I can handle losing to him. Have you seen him? Still…my feminine wiles and our Irish kinship will win her over yet…" Kitty gazed wistfully at the Gryffindor table, "Aw shit, he's on the move. Gotta go, girl, Come on!"

"Ah! My toast!" Daisy yelped as Kitty physically dragged her away from the Hufflepuff table by the hood of her robes. As she was dragged away Daisy could hear the conversation descend into the topic of Sirius Black's recent break-in once again. Her stomach began to sink and she moved to scurry and keep up with Kitty.

The pair of them must have sprinted up seven flights of stairs to catch the twins. Kitty refused to shout at them unless she absolutely had to. She didn't like being seen around the Weasleys, "Or…you know, anyone like them." As she'd say. Daisy didn't dare ask exactly what she meant by that.

"Well, well, if it isn't the esteemed miss O'Malley. To what do we owe the honor?" Fred bowed deeply, George joined him.

"Daisy wants to talk to George, alone." Kitty said promptly.

Fred frowned, "What for?" He looked at George as though he had the answer.

"Confess her undying love for me I'm sure. Me, her and Cedric will live together as a happy little triad!" George clapped his hands together and grinned broadly.

"Oh you wish, Weasley." Kitty rolled her eyes.

"Well then. I can see when I'm not wanted." Fred sniffled, and as he walked down the corridor he let out a very loud and dramatic wail before breaking into a run.

"Ugh…does he always have to turn everything into a bad Shakes-speare comedy." Kitty turned to leave but Daisy grabbed her and proceeded to speak in Irish;

"What? Where are you going?!"

"To get my breakfast? Aren't you guys alone now?"

"No, Kitty, please, I can't–!"

"My parents would kill me if they knew I was talking to a Weasley! You'll be fine my dear."

And just like that Kitty was gone. Daisy and George were left alone on the fourth floor corridor by a window that overlooked the Quidditch Stadium and part of the lake.

"How's Cedric?" George asked, a sing-song tone in his voice.

"Upset about the match. He'll be fine, I'm sure." She nodded.

"And you? Losing a bit of sleep, I see."

"Oh, George no, don't be ridiculous we're not!" She groaned and shoved him, the thought of having to have sex with Cedric so soon made her stomach churn in all kinds of awful ways. "Not all of us shag our girlfriends after a few weeks."

"Hey, it was one girl, one time. Wasn't even a proper shag. Just hand stuff." He shrugged, clearly waiting for her to squirm again.

"Hand job? I hope you returned the gesture. The clitoris isn't all that hard to find you know."

George pursed his lips, "Th-the what now?"

She laughed and was about to finally ask if they were okay when a flurry of movement caught her eye.

"Ah! Miss Morgan, there you are. Professor Dumbledore wishes to see you at once. And, well, perhaps you'd like to bring Mister Weasley with you." It was professor Sprout.

All the colour drained from both Daisy and George's faces. They'd been caught. George opened his mouth to say something but Daisy spoke first.

"Why does he want to see me professor?" She kept her voice steady.

"It's not for me to say I'm afraid. Shall we?"

Trying her best to imitate Aquila she held her head up high and kept her posture straight. She hoped she looked fine. Or at least nothing at all like George, who was white as a sheet and seemed to be looking for possible escape routes.

They came to a corridor on the third floor and stopped before a stone gargoyle. Sprout said the words, "Chocolate Frog" and it leapt aside at once to reveal that a staircase had begun to appear from the ground, spiralling slowly upwards. Both Daisy and George got on it. As the stone staircase slowly began to magically ascend of its own accord and they went from professor Sprout's view, George began to speak to her in hushed, hurried tones, "Don't say anything, I'll take the blame for it."

"Don't be so stupid George, we don't even know if I've been called for that!"

"Why else would the headmaster want to see you, you're not Harry Potter or anything!"

The letter. Did he know? Did Dumbledore somehow know?

"If Hogsmeade comes up, I'll let you talk. Until then, say nothing." She snapped.

The office was unlike any other Daisy had been inside (and she'd only been in three). It was much larger, far more beautiful and much nosier too. A number of strange silver instruments stood on spindle-legged tables, whirring and emitting little puffs of smoke. The walls were covered with portraits of old headmasters and headmistresses snoozing in their frames. At the end of the room was a large claw-footed desk and behind it stood Professor Albus Dumbledore.

"Ah, Miss Morgan, Mister Weasley." He smiled at them, "Why don't you have a seat." Professor Dumbledore was far grander up close and in person. A kind of warmth flowed from him, like he was your own grandfather or a kind uncle you only ever saw around Christmas.

Both sat quietly. George picked at his nails, looking as though he'd explode with the effort of not speaking.

"I'm afraid I have some bad news for you miss Morgan." Dumbledore sat down in his large arm chair, looking very grim indeed. "We received a letter this morning from–"

"It wasn't her fault professor!" George blurted, "It was me, I led her out of the castle!"

"George!" Daisy forgot herself and hit him as hard as she could.

Dumbledore looked confused for a moment, then it seemed to dawn on him, "Ah, yes. You snuck out to Hogsmeade a while ago. Well, never mind that. It, uh, happens more often than you think." He smiled kindly.

"Y-you're…not expelling me?" Daisy held her breath.

"Of course not, but don't count your blessings just yet my dear. For the news I do have for you is perhaps grimmer than an expulsion from Hogwarts."

George looked desperately confused, "Sir?"

"I'm afraid your mother, Gloria, has passed away, miss Morgan."

Daisy let the breath go, "Oh…" Your da is… "Oh no…no, nonono…how did he….?" She looked to Dumbledore.

"How did…who?"

"Daisy…" George put a hand on her arm, "I'm so sorry."

"What? No, it's not my mum-mum, it's the other one. My birth-mum."

"Oh. Right. Well. Um." George went back to being confused again.

"Ah, I believe you were raised by another, correct?" Dumbledore smiled understandingly and didn't wait for an answer, "A common mistake. I should've let the letter go straight to you. My apologies."

"No, it's fine. Easy mistake to make but…"

If ever there was a person to tell, it was Dumbledore. He would know what to do. He was trustworthy. He didn't kick her out for going to Hogsmeade, surely he wouldn't kick her out for this. And if he really had killed her then all the more reason to say so.

"Miss Morgan," Dumbledore looked at her, his blue eyes twinkling with a strange sort of knowing, "Is there something you wish to tell me?"

"Y-yes sir. Only…" She looked at George, "Could…could you wait outside, please?"

George looked slightly put out, but got up to leave all the same. "I'll be just outside if you need me." He smiled at her. She smiled back, and for a moment was very jarred by the fact that he hadn't pulled the same melodramatic sort of exit his brother had earlier.

Daisy took a very deep breath and looked straight at Dumbledore. "A few weeks ago I received a letter from Gloria, my mam I mean. You see she always refused to tell me who my father was. I never cared much about it. I was raised by a single mother. I never really knew to pine after a father figure. She sent me a letter finally telling me who it was," She had to take another breath, "And I wish with all my heart she hadn't sent it at all. Maybe…maybe she'd still be alive if she hadn't…"

"And who is your father?" Dumbledore prompted her.

"Sirius Black, sir."

It was at this point he leaned forwards and truly began to scrutinize her, "My dear girl, are you quite sure?"

"Everyone's always said I look like a Black. Mister Olivander said it, other students ask all the time." She was starting to lose composure. Pretending to be Aquila wasn't working. She was too frightened now. "Sir, I-I think he killed her. He killed her, and he came to Hogwarts to get me. He must've followed me and George that time we went to Hogsmeade I'm sure of it!"

"Now, now, we don't know that for certain. Black could have slipped in any number of ways. And you could just as easily be related to a different member of the Black family. Their family is quite extensive." Dumbledore rose from his seat to stand by Daisy who'd begun to tremble with the effort of keeping back her tears, "Do you still have that letter?"

"Yeah…" She pulled it from her shirt pocket and handed it to Dumbledore.

Only then did she notice that there was a large, beautiful red and golden bird sitting on a perch by his seat. A phoenix. "Ah, Fawks, I was wondering when you'd get back." Dumbledore said amicably.

"How…on earth do you…?" She swallowed her question before finishing it. He was Albus Dumbledore. Of course he had a phoenix.

He answered anyway, "I happened upon him years ago. We've been friends ever since, he and I. A source of comfort in times of great distress. And speaking of friends, I think perhaps we ought to keep this between us for now. Until we know for certain whether you are related to Sirius Black."

"Of course. I wouldn't tell. Sure, I'd be shunned for life." She tried to laugh, but it came out as a sort of whimper.

"The Weasleys are not known for their lack of compassion Miss Morgan. They aren't all in Gryffindor house by accident. Should this terrible thing be true, perhaps you ought to confide in Mister Weasley at least."

Daisy nodded slowly, "Maybe…"

"I will let you know by letter my findings. I'm afraid I may be far too busy in future to meet you in person, though it was a pleasure." He smiled warmly at her.

"Th-the pleasure was all mine sir." She stood up, "D'you want George to come back in or…?"

"No, thank you. You'd best be on your way."

George didn't say a word to her.

"You eavesdropped didn't you."

"Tried to. Dumbledore's got some sort of charm on the door though."

Daisy hit him, "You fuck!"

"Ouch! Daisy!"

"Not funny George. Not funny." She swept ahead of him, but then stopped, "Why've you been avoiding me all this time?"

"What? Me? Avoid you? Never!"

"Don't bullshit me George, not now. Please."

George looked at his feet, "'spose you're with Diggory a lot these days aren't you?"

"And?"

"'suppose I don't like him much."

Daisy was baffled. George hadn't been avoiding her, he was just avoiding Cedric. But how on earth did someone not like Cedric was the real question. Maybe it was a sort of Quidditch rivalry.

"Oh…well…" She trailed off.

"You know everyone would have a field day if they saw you alone with me all the time now. Daisy's cheatin' on Cedric with a Weasley!"

"Don't be so stupid. Everyone knows we're friends."

"Do they?" He raised his eyebrows, "That's not what the little golden Snitches tell me."

"Well…I don't want to stop being friends just because I'm dating Cedric. He's really nice you know."

"Don't like him." George repeated stubbornly.

"So that's it then. You won't hang out with me while I'm dating Cedric? Do I really mean so little to you that you'd be so very petty?"

George looked affronted, "Because I'd risk my bloody wand for anyone, wouldn't I?"

"I told you to shut up!"

"How could I, Daisy? How could I just sit there thinking you'd have your wand snapped, knowing how devastated you'd be?"

"You seemed fine with letting me think you hated me for the past month or so."

"Well it's not my fault what you think is it?" He hadn't raised his voice, not exactly, but it was loud enough for Daisy to retreat back into herself. They walked in tense silence until George started up the staircase towards Gryffindor tower.

"You don't have to talk to him or anything. I just can't stand this…stupid, feckin', whatever it is…" She wasn't sure why it was so difficult to speak.

"You know when you hate someone so much that you can't even stand to be around them?"

"No. Actually, I don't." Daisy looked at him. He suddenly seemed to tower over her.

"Of course you don't…" He scoffed, "You haven't a malicious bone in your body…"

"Don't be stupid, everyone's got flaws."

"Well. You're naïve, awkward, impulsive, can't have a linear conversation, you're sometimes annoying and occasionally stubborn." He leaned against the bannister of the stone staircase, "But you're not malicious. That's what you've got O'Malley for."

"She's not—!" She stopped herself before she went off topic (since George had literally just pointed out how she did that all the time), "I want us to stay friends. You don't have to talk to Cedric, or be friendly, or even nice if you don't want to."

"I'm not gonna be mean to him." George rolled his eyes, "Just don't do that gross lovey-dovey stuff in front of me. I see enough of that with Lee and Charlie."

"Right, good." Daisy nodded. "I'll…see you later then."

"See you. Oh, and Daisy," He called back to her, "I could never hate you." He stood awkwardly for a moment before bowing his head and muttering, "Just…so you know…" As he shuffled up the stairs.

Daisy smiled broadly, "I could never hate you either, unfortunately." She called back, "You're always getting me in trouble!"

George raised his hands in a gesture of surrender as he continued up the stairs and out of Daisy's sight.