Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling, only the Archard family and other OCs belong to me. The French words/phrases will be italicized, as well as the spells. Reviews are appreciated!

Chapter 12: Fraternizing with Family

Esme POV

Since Potter, Granger, and Weasley had the gall to ask me if Draco was the heir of Slytherin based on their biased assumptions and faulty logic, they'd, Magic blessedly, left me alone. Despite this, they were clearly still up to something, just as I had assumed they would be - they really could not leave well enough alone. Still, it wasn't my business and I refused to let those three drag me into their shenanigans when I had enough things to worry about on my own.

The Sleeping Draught Daphne got for me continued to ensure restful sleep that left me unaware if the nightmare was still plaguing me or not. Added in with the lack of any further incidents involving the so-called Heir of Slytherin, most of us were left thinking that what happened to Mrs. Norris was a morbid prank in poor taste and nothing else would come of it. Now almost two weeks later, life at Hogwarts was going back to how it usually was.

Lockhart had thankfully learned his lesson since the disastrous class with the pixies and hadn't brought another live creature to class for a 'demonstration'. I shuddered to think what could've happened had Lockhart chosen a more dangerous creature to try to impress us with his skills (or in reality, lack thereof). However, the lack of chaos notwithstanding, Lockhart's classes became even worse than Professor Binns' History of Magic, because we learned absolutely nothing from the brainless and vainglorious wizard.

Instead of even attempting to teach us anything about Defense Against the Dark Arts, Lockhart instead read us passages from his books (which was more about him than the actual creature he supposedly 'defeated'). Even further, he reenacted some of the more dramatic passages, and to much of the class's amusement, always selected Potter to play the part of the Magical creature. So far, Potter had been forced to play the Transylvanian villager who was cured of the Babbling Curse, a yeti with a head cold, and a vampire who Lockhart cursed to eat only lettuce (which seemed very cruel to me, he was better off just killing the poor creature instead of cursing it to die a slow death).

Today, Lockhart pulled Potter to the front of the class to act the part of the werewolf he would be defeating. Unlike the previous times, Potter didn't once try to argue or convince Lockhart to select another student to assist him. He even was putting forth more of an effort to play his assigned part - he held his hands up like claws and would awkwardly 'howl' when directed to by Lockhart, 'for dramatic effect'.

He probably had finally resigned himself to this embarrassment, but either way, it made this useless class a little more entertaining. I alternated between idly watching and studying my Transfiguration notes - Theo was convinced Professor McGonagall was going to hold an impromptu quiz on Monday, so I was making sure my notes were thorough and clear for studying this weekend.

"Nice loud howl, Harry."

Potter was blushing red as he let out a squeaky howl.

"Exactly. And then, if you'd believe it, I pounced like this," Lockhart explained before he actually kneeled on a pillow he had set down and gestured for Potter to get on the floor. Potter slowly complied as Lockhart continued his retelling. "And thus, slammed him to the floor. With one hand I managed to hold down and with my other, I put my wand to his throat."

Draco and his group snickered as Potter flinched to avoid getting smacked in the face with Lockhart's wand when he suddenly whipped it out.

"I then screwed up my remaining strength and performed the immensely complex Homorphus Charm. He let out a piteous moan…go on, Harry."

Potter groaned.

"Higher than that."

He tried again, this time sounding more like a mouse.

"Good. The fur vanished, the fangs shrank, and he turned back into a man. Simple, yet effective, and another village will remember me forever as the hero who delivered them from the monthly terror of werewolf attacks."

I blinked before screwing my face into confusion - was Lockhart actually claiming to have 'cured' a man of being a werewolf? That was impossible, there was no cure. Glancing to my right showed Daphne just as confused as I was, Theo completely unaware as he was entirely focused on doing other coursework, and Blaise doodling away on a piece of parchment. Any further contemplation of the dragon dung Lockhart was trying to peddle off on us was interrupted when the bell rang.

Lockhart got to his feet. "Homework! Compose a poem about my defeat of the Wagga Wagga Werewolf! Signed copies of Magical Me to the author of the best one!"

I gathered my books to leave the classroom as quickly as possible with my friends. We passed by Granger and Weasley who were waiting in the back of the room for Potter. I quickly looked away when Granger attempted to meet my eye and hurried out the doorway with Daphne at my side.

"This has to be the easiest assignment yet," commented Daphne as the four of us regrouped in the corridor. "He didn't even specify the type of poem."

"I'd bet my wand everyone besides the few remaining Lockhart fans will write haikus to get a passing grade," said Theo.

We paused to wait for the staircase we needed to move into place.

"How about this?" asked Blaise before he flared his arm out dramatically while holding the other to his chest. "A brainless wizard. Flailing before a werewolf. Then runs in failure."

The four of us snickered. Theo commented, "I don't think Lockhart's ego could handle it if you actually handed that in."

"It's an easy enough fix," I said as the staircase settled into place. "Change 'brainless' to 'genius', 'flailing before' to 'bravely fighting', and 'runs in failure' to 'leaves a hero'. Which I will be using now as my poem so good luck to the rest of you."

"You wound me, ma ange," teased Blaise dramatically after he hopped over the trick step near the bottom of the staircase.

Daphne giggled. "It really isn't that much of a chore." She delicately hummed as she got her thoughts in order. "Strong and brave, he fights. Masterful use of magic. Beast becomes human."

"It's easy to pander to his ego, but why waste this excellent opportunity to subtly insult our nibbering nonce of professor and get a good grade for it," said Blaise.

"Oh~, how Slytherin of you," I cooed as we reached the bottom of the staircase.

"Challenge accepted, mate," said Theo, determination in his voice. "We'll see who can creatively insult Lockhart the most. Winner does the other's next three Defense assignments."

"You're on," accepted Blaise as the two of them shook hands.

Daphne and I shared a look, both of us rolling our eyes at the competitiveness of boys before we giggled. Finally we arrived at the common room. I quickly dropped off my school bag and waved goodbye to my friends as I hurried out the entranceway to get to the courtyard to meet with my siblings - I had been looking forward to this all day since Blaire told me at breakfast this morning about the meet up.

Up ahead through an open window I could see Alaric already waiting with Carlisle and Dustin nearby. It wasn't until I got closer did I realize someone else was there - Ernie was sitting on the nearby stone ledge. I blinked in surprise as I approached the group of boys. I hadn't expected our only cousin to be here, but I supposed Blaire now wished to include Ernie in our family meetings; he was family after all.

"Bonjour," I greeted, announcing my presence.

"Petite papillon!" greeted Alaric as he engulfed me into a hug.

I hugged him back. As I pulled away I asked, "Where's Blaire?"

"She should be along shortly. She had Advanced Ancient Runes, so we weren't able to walk here together," explained Alaric.

I moved over and sat next to Ernie, giving him a smile in greeting, which he easily returned.

"I'm here," called out Blaire in French as she came jogging into the courtyard. "Sorry, I'm late!" She slowed and instantly went over to Ernie and me, greeting us both with a gentle kiss on the forehead - which made Ernie flush as red as Blaire already was.

"You were hardly late," Carlisle reassured her in French.

"Besides," continued Dustin in the same language, "we have the rest of the afternoon before dinner. That's plenty of time to catch up."

"Um…excuse me?" Ernie spoke up hesitantly. "What are you all saying?"

I blinked in confusion and then remembered that our cousin did not speak French.

"Oh désolé- I mean, I'm sorry, Ernie," apologized Blaire. "We didn't mean to exclude you!"

"French is more natural for us when we're together," explained Carlisle.

Dustin shrugged carelessly. "I forgot you were here."

Carlisle elbowed his twin in his side causing Dustin to scowl at him, but neither commented further. Ernie had hunched over a little at Dustin's remark so I placed my hand over his on the stone ledge. He flinched at the contact but didn't pull away. As he glanced over at me from the corner of his eye, I smiled at him again. Thankfully, he slowly began to straighten up.

"I think I have the perfect solution," Alaric announced before taking out his wand. "Father taught me a translation spell he learned while working at the French Ministry. It makes it so that you'll understand any French we say and anything you say will be French to our ears since I speak both French and English."

"Excellent idea, 'Laric!" Blaire then quickly reassured Ernie, who looked a tad nervous. "Don't worry, petit cousin, while advanced, it's a harmless spell if it doesn't work."

Without further adieu, Alaric swished his wand in a diagonal pattern. "Verbum Manifestum!"

A bolt of soft blue light shot out of Alaric's wand and hit Ernie. We all waited in silence for an indication the spell worked.

"Well go on, little badger, say something," commanded Dustin, eyebrows raised.

"...Did it work?" asked Ernie, his words coming out in French.

"I'd say so," I replied. "Both Dustin and you spoke French just now, and I'm guessing you understood him since you replied."

"I did! This is amazing!"

Alaric put away his wand. "Great, now that that's settled, let's relax."

Blaire sat down on the ledge, leaving me squeezed between her and Ernie, while Dustin, Carlisle, and Alaric got themselves comfortable on the ground as we all formed a makeshift circle.

"How is everyone doing?" questioned Blaire, starting us off.

"I'm fine," I replied first when Blaire gave me a pointed look. "Classes are going well, besides Defense Against the Dark Arts. That class is a complete joke."

"It's not the class that is the joke, it's the professor," snarked Dustin. "The entire school heard about the pixie incident with your class."

"Especially since Defense classes for the next few days were cancelled while Lockhart both got back his wand and reworked his syllabus," continued Carlisle.

"I doubt his NEWT-level classes are any better than ours."

"He just brags about himself and preens like a peacock for the girls still taken in by his looks," replied Alaric with an annoyed scowl on his face.

"I've learned more in self-study than the material he's bothered to try to teach us," added Blaire, frustration colouring her tone. "I'll never understand how Headmaster Dumbledore could hire such a incompetent narcissist."

"I heard it's because he couldn't find anyone else," said Ernie.

"There's no way Dumbledore is already scraping the bottom of the cauldron for professors," I said.

"Don't be rude, Esme, he's still our headmaster," Blaire lightly scolded. "Though perhaps you have a point. All our professors are English-born, while at Beauxbatons there were plenty of international professors. Madame Maxine always said she got the best for her students."

I had never realized it, but Blaire was right. None of our professors here were from a different country. It did make me curious about what other differences my siblings had noticed between the two schools and kept quiet about.

"Our wellbeing aside, how's having the Heir of Slytherin in your House," Dustin asked with a pointed look at Blaire and Alaric.

Beside me, Ernie tensed up and I sent him a concerned look as Blaire snapped at Dustin. "Don't you even joke about that! I don't care how it looked on Samhain, Potter would never do something like that, even as a joke."

"B-but I heard that Potter was yelled out of Filch's office not long before it happened," Ernie brought up as he stared at his shoes. He then looked up at the rest of us, clearly anxious. "My friend Justin is scared he'll be next since he outright told Potter he's Muggleborn."

Seeing Ernie so worried I tightened my hand on his as Blaire spoke up. "I'm sorry your friend is worried and scared. But I truly believe that Potter wouldn't attack anyone, let alone hurt them like someone did to Mrs. Norris."

"Besides, nearly everyone in every House has had some altercation with Filch at some point," added Carlisle. "The man hates children."

"I'd say he more relishes in the fear and pain of children rather than hates them," said Dustin.

"Be that as it may," inserted Alaric as he took control of the rocky topic of conversation. "A few precautions wouldn't do any harm. I don't care what the legend says about the chamber or the heir; no one goes anywhere alone. Am I clear?"

We all voiced our agreement. He then continued in the same authoritative voice we rarely heard from him. "I know no one has written home about what happened because if anyone had I would know. I'd at least have received a letter from Father asking for a report. I have faith that Headmaster Dumbledore and the other professors will resolve the matter quickly, so I ask that no one worry Father and Mother needlessly."

Once again we all voiced our agreements, though Ernie admitted he never even thought about writing to his father about it, assuming that somehow Uncle Reginald would already know about it. Though Ernie's comment struck something in me. The few students I knew who had written home remained unconcerned since they either thought the entire thing was a prank or thought they were completely safe due to not being considered an 'enemy of the heir'.

Alaric was right about not needlessly worrying Papa and Maman - neither would care about the validity of the situation or our supposedly safety, they'd both worry and fret, Papa more so than Maman. He almost refused us to attend this term because of Lockhart's known incompetence. He would surely pull us out of Hogwarts entirely if he thought for a second that danger was lurking in the corridors.

The entire discussion of the chamber and what happened had dampened the cheerful mood with negativity. I felt the heavy weight of everyone's feelings in the air. Ernie especially remained an anxious mess - I could tell his worry for his friend hadn't been lessened at all by Blaire's words. The long quiet that rang between us needed to end, so I brought up the only subject I knew would cause a distraction.

"You know, my friends have already placed bets about the Quidditch match tomorrow. They're confident that even if Potter catches the Snitch, Slytherin will still win the entire match thanks to the advantage of their superior brooms."

All the boys, minus Ernie, scoffed.

"Brooms aren't everything, little sister," said Carlisle. "A quality Quidditch player is more than just a top-of-the-line broom."

"They have to be a fair flyer to control their broom in the first place," continued Dustin.

"And be able to think ahead and plan their flight course."

"While having sharp reflexes," added Alaric, "in order to react and adapt to other players and possible Bludgers. It's those very reflexes that aid Harry in being such a good Seeker."

"Not to mention Quidditch is a team sport and a team that doesn't play well together won't do well in a match," explained Carlisle. "And no offense to your House, but while Slytherin won the Quidditch Cup last year they only barely won over Hufflepuff because we didn't have a good showing against Gryffindor-"

"-Which won't happen again this year," interrupted Dustin. "Hufflepuff's has a new Chaser, Malcolm Preece, who can give even you Alaric a run for your galleons. Little Potter won't end the match so quickly this time, so we'll have a proper match this year."

"Oh you're on, little brothers," replied Alaric with equal fervor. "Gryffindor will be reared up and ready to go."

"Simmer down boys," lightly scolded Blaire. And with a slightly sarcastic tone added, "Your epic Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff face-off isn't for months."

"I understand what you're saying, big brothers," I said. "But I don't think you're giving the Slytherin team enough credit, Draco especially." I flipped some of my hair over my shoulder. "While I don't know much about Draco's Seeker abilities, he did beat out several others for the position at tryouts. And, I know for a fact he is a fair flyer."

"I'm sorry if I have offended your friend, little butterfly," apologized Alaric. "But for me it doesn't really matter how good young Malfoy is since I won't be directly playing against him during the match."

"Alaric's right," spoke up Ernie, who then immediately flushed scarlet as we all looked at him. "I-I mean Malfoy will be going against Potter on the pitch, so the question is who is the better Seeker, Malfoy or Potter, and Potter already has a year of experience over Malfoy even though they're the same age."

"Excellent point, cousin," smiled Blaire. "I guess we'll see what happens tomorrow."

While Blaire had effectively ended the conversation, a new sense of uneasiness grew in my chest. I had the sudden feeling that something bad was going to happen at the match tomorrow. Worry for Alaric pushed me to speak up. "You'll still wear the protection charm I made for you last Yule, right Alaric?"

"Always do, little butterfly," reassured Alaric with a gentle smile on his face.

Blaire shifted the conversation to classes and after everyone quickly reassured our studious sister we were keeping up with our coursework, Dustin launched into a funny story of Carlisle's latest klutz episode.

"-and she turned so red," said Dustin while chuckling. "I was certain she was about to hex him, when Carlisle instantly turns on the charm and makes her red for a completely different reason."

We all laughed as Carlisle covered his own pink face in embarrassment.

"Does this mean dear Carlisle has a girlfriend now?" I teasingly asked, poking his leg with my foot.

"Sweet Circe, no!" instantly denied Carlisle. "Betty's wonderful, but one, I don't like her that way, and two, I would be completely idiotic to attempt to date the Head Girl's younger sister. Penny's the protective type."

We all laughed a bit more before Blaire cleared her throat, her amusement fading into anxiousness. "There is something I need to tell you all, but before I do, let me just say that it is a done thing and nothing any of you say will change it."

"What is it, big sister?" I asked, as both curiosity and anticipation bubbled in my chest. Perhaps, maybe?...

"George Weasley and I are dating and have been since the start of term."

There was utter silence as what she said sunk in.

"Magnificent! Congratulations!" I happily exclaimed while taking Blaire's hand in both of mine. I ended up shaking it several times in excitement, which made her giggle.

Some of her nervousness faded as a happy smile overcame her face. "Thank you, little sister."

"Yes, congratulations, Blaire," Ernie intoned carefully, clearly not knowing what he was to do as he awkwardly fidgeted next to me.

Hearing a choking noise, we both turned to find Alaric turning a disturbing shade of purple while Carlisle and Dustin began inching away from him.

Carlisle cleared his throat. "While Alaric relearns how to breathe and speak-"

"-really Bee?" interrupted Dustin. "Of all the people you could've picked, did it have to be George Weasley?"

I frowned, not liking what he could be implying. "What's wrong with him exactly? Because I'll have you know I've seen George Weasley adorably pining for our sister and he treats her quite well."

Blaire blushed as Dustin and Carlisle both snorted. "Setting the love-sick mooncalf eyes aside, he and his brother are nothing but trouble and hardly seem to take anything seriously."

Dustin then took over. "We're just confused on why our serious older sister would find anything attractive about a lanky boy who is almost two years younger than her. George Weasley knows absolutely nothing about Magical culture and should Blaire attend an event with him on her arm he will likely offend the first person he meets, potentially tarnishing the family reputation."

"You have to know Father won't be pleased, Bee," added Carlisle. "We are all well aware that he dislikes Mr. and Mrs. Weasley."

I winced at the reminder. I honestly had forgotten about what our parents might have to say about Blaire's choice…Carlisle was right, Papa won't like this one bit.

Blaire's spine straightened as the last of her nerves vanished and anger began to radiate from her. "I've already thought about all that. The short answer is, I like who I like and he likes me and we don't care what anyone else has to say about it. George and Fred both have started reading up on Magical traditions and culture, they honestly wish to learn about it. And as for the rest, I am not Father's heir nor has my hand been promised to another, so it hardly matters who I choose to date. I've already written to Mother about this and she is very happy for me and George. Father may not be pleased for his reasons, but for your information he has given me his blessing to pursue my relationship with George."

The twins both raised their hands in placating manners as they apologized, though Dustin hardly looked apologetic at all.

Alaric finally seemed to calm enough to start yelling. "But he's-"

"-But nothing 'Laric," interrupted Blaire.

While Alaric continued to breathe heavily the anger appeared to slip away with each breath. "Fine~," he gritted out between his teeth. "But should George hurt or pressure you in any way, I will exact my retribution unhindered as is my right as both your twin brother and the Heir of the Family."

"You can certainly have a go at him after I'm done with should any of that happen - which it won't because George is an absolute gentleman sweetheart. He does-"

"I don't need to know the details!" interrupted Alaric frantically. "And I definitely don't want to see you two carrying on in the common room or corridors."

"Don't worry, we'll save it for the broom closets." Blaire winked, then burst into giggles and I soon followed at the sight of Alaric's unease and disgusted face. If Alaric hadn't seen anything so far, I doubted it would start happening now. Blaire may be an affectionate person, but she was not like the shameless teens who enjoyed kissing where all could see them in the corridors.

Soon the five of us were all laughing at him. Our laughter did the trick and the remaining tension left Alaric's body. And just like that, things became light-hearted once again. I doubted our brothers were completely alright with Blaire dating (they've always been protective), but at least they were smart enough to not attempt to stand in Blaire's way, or worse, 'forbid' her from dating George. With time, they'd adjust. And in the meantime, I sent a prayer to Mother Magic to bless Blaire and George with happiness for however long their relationship lasts.

Ma ange = my angel (female)

Bonjour = hello

Petite papillon = little butterfly (female)

Désolé = sorry

Petit cousin = little cousin

Special thanks to my Beta-Readers: Anonymous and TheSparkler!