Book 4

Romina held her tongue until the moment she got back home. Then, she let it all out. She had a lot of time to digest Rolf's confession on the train ride home and it helped her sort some of her feelings out. The truth of the matter is that she was angry. She was so, so angry.

As soon as she was home, she told her aunt and uncle everything. Needless to say, Sage and Lyonel were in a state of shock. It was clear to Romina that they never expected her to find out, and that just made her even angrier.

"So what, you expected me to live in the dark about this my whole life?" Her dark eyes shifted between the two adults incredulously. "Seriously?"

"I didn't know they had a child," Lyonel said, though it sounded like he was speaking to Sage rather than their expectant niece.

"We never really looked back..." Sage said, meeting Romina's gaze. "Sweetheart, we're sorry—"

"Are you?" Romina cut in sharply. "Because it sounds like you were never going to tell me! It looks like you were intending on lying to me for the rest of my life! How dare you!"

"Romina, watch your tone," warned Lyonel.

"My tone?" Romina was once again incredulous. "Are you kidding me!? You're going to reprimand me about my tone when I just told you that I know that I have a bloody cousin, grandparents, aunts and uncles!? My tone is what worries you right now!?"

"Romina, let's try to calm down," Sage said and moved towards Romina. The girl took the same steps back from her aunt. "Romina, please—"

"NO! According to Rolf and his family, you guys took me away from them! You never told me about them! You didn't let them see me!"

"I had to, Romina! You were in danger!" snapped Lyonel. "After the war, the ministry wasn't exactly giving our family much consideration!"

"But later you could have said something!" Romina argued. "You could have shown me pictures of them! You could have told me about them! It would've made a huge difference in my life knowing that I had another part of a family who weren't evil!"

"I couldn't trust anyone but myself and your aunt and I am not sorry about that!"

"What your uncle means is that we didn't know who we could trust after the war," Sage cut in just as Romina was about to shout again. "A lot of families claimed that they were under the imperius curse and that's why they did whatever the Dark Lord demanded."

"But you knew that Rolf's father wasn't part of that, none of his family was except for my mother!" Romina exclaimed.

"Romina, I couldn't trust anybody. I hardly knew them at that time!" Lyonel said. "Caplan and Elora weren't exactly all for family reunions. They got married without even telling us first!"

"You could have told me," Romina insisted. "Especially when I started Hogwarts."

"We didn't know that Elora's brother had a son," Lyonel repeated, "We don't know anything about them, actually. When we made the decision to leave the wizarding community, we followed through to every extent. We cut off all ties."

"Knowing that one day I would step into it," Romina frowned. "And that's when you should have told me. 'You have grandparents. You have an aunt and an uncle. You have more family'. But you didn't. You let me believe that the only family I had were Death Eater parents. You thought that would be the best for me. To let me wallow with that burden. You have no idea what it's done to me. This whole year—" she swallowed hard, pushing down the tears she felt stinging in her eyes. "This whole year, I've had the worst thoughts about myself."

"Romina...you should have told us," Sage said with a lamenting sigh. "I knew something was wrong...you can always tell us if there's something wrong."

"Like you guys did?" Romina crossed her arms. "You didn't even bother telling them about me — how I was doing, where I was. They didn't know about me until I started Hogwarts and Rolf told them! My grandparents — they've been writing to Dumbledore about me, asking about me! It sounds like they actually want me and...I think I want to see them too."

"What?" Lyonel looked like he had heard the craziest thing in the world. It just made Romina more adamant about her idea.

"I want to meet them. I want to meet my grandmother, my grandfather...I want to see them."

"Absolutely not!" Lyonel started shaking his head. "That's not happening!"

"Lyonel—"

"And why not!?" Romina went over her aunt's voice, glaring at her uncle.

"Because I said so!"

"Oh!" Romina brought a hand to her chest. "As long as it's bloody fair!"

"I said to watch your voice—"

"I DON'T WANT TO!" Romina screamed. "I HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO MEET THE ONLY FAMILY I HAVE LEFT!"

"ROMINA—"

Romina didn't stick around to hear more as she ran towards the stairs, leaving her uncle to call after her. She did not come back down for days. Sage would try to coax her out for meals and resorted to just leaving the food outside her door.

The more that Romina thought about the situation, the stronger she felt about her decision. She had every right to meet her family, at least to ask the questions burning in her mind. How could they not allow something she had a right to? So, in the next days, she thought about her options. And she came up with a simple one, albeit a little out there.

Rolf,

I'm not going to lie, I didn't really see myself writing to you this early into break. It's been hard deciding if I'm upset or not with you, but I'm starting to look at the bigger picture here. I told my aunt and uncle about you, and what you told me. They weren't happy, unsurprisingly. My uncle is taking it the worst. He especially hated when I told him that I wanted to meet our grandparents. He's really against it.

If you were serious about, well, being cousins...help me out here. I truthfully don't know what I'm going to do if I get face to face with our grandparents but I feel like I at least deserve the opportunity to be there. I want to see them.

Romina.

Romina was nerve wrecked for the following days waiting for Rolf's response. She started wondering if she made a mistake writing to him. What if she'd pissed him off the last time they talked? Luckily, her thoughts didn't get too far from her because Rolf wrote back.

Dear Romina,

I hope you don't get mad but I told my parents about this. I think they're talking about it with grandma and grandpa right now. They told me to stay in my room. Don't worry, they'll figure it out. It's different now that you want to come. I think before they left all this alone because they didn't want to overwhelm you. Aren't they lucky I'm around?

Romina had actually laughed at that part. It almost felt like nothing had changed between them and they were just friends again. Your cousins, she soon remembered. Only now it didn't feel as shocking as it had before. Now she felt glee realizing there was someone else she could talk to, and someone her own age!

Just hang tight, Romina. We'll make this work, I promise. Keep writing to me and I'll do my best from over here. Or just write for the sake of writing too. I'd like to get to know you more, if that's alright. I know your birthday's coming around in July! Mine's in March! Guess that makes me older than you!

- Rolf

Romina found solace in his letter. If he could be lighthearted and funny, then maybe things weren't all that bad. She didn't have to be so bitter because at the end of the day, she had a cousin and nobody could take that away from her. She would just have to get smarter about getting to meet the rest of her family.

~ 0 ~

Later that afternoon, Arden was in Romina's bedroom listening to everything that had happened since they returned from school. Arden was shocked that she had found out just now. She was impressed that Romina managed to keep it all under wraps.

"Seems like this year you became an expert at hiding your emotions," she gave Romina a sharp glance. "No more of that, alright?"

Romina waved her off with a dismissive hand. "Just focus! I've been trying to come up with a way to meet my grandparents. I have so many questions and they're the only one who can answer. Merlin knows aunt Sage and uncle Lyonel are very tight lipped about the families."

"Okay, so how are we going to do that?"

"We?"

"Well, you don't think you're going to do it alone, are you? Sign me up!" Arden exclaimed. Romina chuckled. "Bet we can get Harry to help us too! Does he know?"

Romina shook her head. "You're the first I've told. Well, there was also Draco but he just happened to be there."

"And he hasn't said anything yet?" Arden snorted. "Did you have to pay him millions for that?"

"No, I just asked him not to say anything until I was ready."

"Seriously?" Arden said, unconvinced. "Must have caught him on a good day then. I didn't even know he could have those."

Romina laughed. "Okay, back to the point here. I gotta meet them, Arden. I have so many things I want to ask..."

"I bet you do," Arden mused on the list Romina probably had somewhere with questions. "Well hey, why don't we see if Harry can come with us to the parlor and we can talk about all this stuff. Maybe he'll have some ideas."

Romina liked the idea. She hadn't been out since the first day they got back from Hogwarts. As far as she knew, her going out privileges hadn't been revoked and her uncle was working. Aunt Sage was softer and was trying to be the mediator between the two. So, the girls left the room and hurried down the stairs.

"Where are you headed?" Sage called from the kitchen as they crossed the living room.

"To the parlor with Harry!" Romina promptly said. "I can go there, right?"

Arden blinked at the sudden edge in Romina's tone. Even more surprising was that Sage didn't say anything about it. They were out of the house in less than a minute.

"Wow, thought you'd be grounded for sure there!" Arden said as they headed to Harry's.

"Aunt Sage is trying to keep the peace and it's frankly annoying," Romina admitted. "I wish she would just step in already and help out. She knows as much as I do that I should get to meet my other family."

They soon arrived at the Dursley residence and knocked on the front door. Dudley opened up and at the sight of the girls, he whimpered and shut the door on them.

"Uh, okay?" Arden raised an eyebrow at the closed door. "What the hell was that about?"

Romina snickered. She'd forgotten that Sirius had encouraged Harry to use his identity to scare the Dursleys into giving him more freedom and treating him better. Clearly, Harry had taken Sirius' word. She wished she could tell Arden about it but nobody was supposed to know the truth about Sirius Black, at least for the time being.

After knocking a few more times, Harry opened the door next. "Hey Rom!" he greeted. "Hey Arden! What's going on?"

"We were heading to the parlor, wanna come?" Romina said. "Or do you gotta ask for permission?"

"Nope!" Harry said with a pleasant grin. "Let's go!" He stepped out and shut the door without telling the Dursleys anything.

"What had Dudley in such a twist?" Arden asked once they were heading down the block. "He didn't even insult us today. Is he alright?"

"Ooh, he's doing just fine," Harry's grin grew wider as he glanced at Romina.

They reached the parlor soon enough and got their usual orders after greeting the owners. Since they were gone for most of the year, they only really came to the parlor during summer. Once they were sitting together, Romina told Harry about Rolf and the Scamanders.

"Woah, Rom, that's...that's big..." Harry felt bad not having something better to say. Luckily, Romina didn't seem to mind as she just nodded and agreed with him.

She glumly stuck her spoon into her ice cream. "And so, I'm stuck waiting to see if uncle Lyonel will realize that I have every right to meet my other family."

Like Arden, Harry was sure that Lyonel eventually would. "If they went to the extent of keeping you away from the wizarding society for your own good, they'll realize that meeting your family is also for your own good. Especially if what you said about them being war heroes was true."

"I really wish I had that much faith like you two," Romina said with a heavy sigh. "This year has been challenging enough."

Arden snorted. "I'll say. Sometimes, I wish I was just in a regular school. I mean at least there, I could avoid Pansy Parkinson and her jabs."

"Don't ever let Parkinson make you wish you weren't a witch," Romina promptly said. "Plus, not everyone's bad."

Arden shrugged. "Yeah, I guess."

Harry smiled at the pair. "You come over to the Gryffindor tower whenever you're that bothered, Arden."

"Oh, wouldn't that be nice," she mused. "But I don't think anybody would want me there. They barely want Romina in there and you guys love her."

"It's the prejudices they have against Slytherins," Romina sighed, very much tired of those prejudices.

"I mean, Rom, a lot of them have pretty much earned that," Harry remarked.

"A handful, Harry," Romina corrected. "I have met many people who are just there to study."

"Yeah," Arden said, "Just because you and Draco have an arch enemy relationship doesn't mean we're all the same."

Harry raised a hand to stop her from talking again. "Like you and Parkinson, I would like to avoid any conversation where Malfoy's mentioned."

Arden laughed. "Fair enough."

Romina shook her head at them both. She ate more of her ice cream, getting several brain freezes in the process, until she realized she had just stress-ate it all.

"Boy, I would not want to see you with some Fire Whiskey," Arden said when Romina pushed her ice cream glass to the side.

"Rom," Harry reached over the table for Romina's hand, "It's going to work out. I know it will."

Romina managed to smile. If Harry, who had gone through so much crap, believed in it then maybe she should too. "Thanks," she said and he patted her hand. "Since I've been locked in my room this whole — my choice, by the way —" she added as Harry gave her a look, "I started digging around the Scamander name. They seem pretty cool. They weren't kidding about being war heroes. They fought in some war before You-Know-Who's time. And they fought alongside Dumbledore."

"Wait, so he knew about your family too?" Harry blinked a few times.

"And he didn't say anything either," Romina said bitterly. "But anyways, my grandfather wrote one of our textbooks 'Fantastic Beasts and where to Find them'."

"No way—he wrote that!?" Harry paused just as he was about to have another spoonful of ice cream. Romina nodded proudly. "And Rolf never bragged about that? Wow, he really is one of the good ones."

Romina rolled her eyes at him. ""My grandmother started a fashion designing company—The Gejéls? My aunt is also part of it."

"Oooh!" Arden beamed at the idea. "Hot couture?"

Romina laughed. "Wizard's edition."

"Gotta say, that name sounds familiar, though..." But Arden couldn't quite put her finger on it yet. Romina, however, had figured it out a while ago.

"It's because that's Daphne favorite brand of robes."

"Ooooh, you're right!" Arden snapped her fingers. Daphne had countless magazines about the brand and she always boasted that it was the only brand she ever bought. "It's French! Hey, you're French, Romina."

"Half, but yeah," Romina nodded. "I've been digging through more and it's amazing, really. Rolf's dad is part of the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures department."

"Ooh, was he in on the execution of Buckbeak, then?" Arden said.

"Almost execution," Harry was happy to remind them.

"Right," Arden thanked him for the reminder. "Lucky guy!"

"Mhm..." Harry started eating his ice cream again, exchanging a brief glance with Romina who was busy smirking.

They continued to eat their ice cream until they were all done. In the meantime, they tried helping Romina out with her problems but a lot of them involved them having her go back to her aunt and uncle to talk again. Romina didn't feel sure enough of herself to have a conversation without yelling again. At the very least, Harry suggested that she write directly to her grandparents asking for help. Romina said she would think about that.

The sun was setting when they started heading back home. Harry had started talking about some plans that Ron was making for the summer.

"Ron's mentioned that the Quidditch World Cup is this year. He's inviting us to go. Think it should be interesting."

"The what?" Arden raised an eyebrow at him. Harry shrugged. Like her, he still had some things to learn about the wizarding world.

"It's like their version of the FIFA cup," Romina explained, surprising them with her knowledge. "Unlike you two, I did have some knowledge of the wizarding world, alright? It's a huge Quidditch game."

"Oh, sounds boring," Arden promptly said then glanced at Harry skeptically. "You think the Dursleys would even let you go to that?"

"Oh, I think they will," Harry said, sharing a knowing smile with Romina.

"I'm sure you'll have fun," Romina told him. "I don't know if my uncle would let me step out of the house right now."

"It's next month, who knows how things will be by then!" Harry said, bumping shoulders with her. "C'mon, Hermione said she would go. And Ginny's going too. It won't be just us boys."

Romina shrugged. It was a possibility.

"Arden, you sure you don't want to come?" Harry soon asked the brunette girl.

Arden scrunched her face. "Eh, to be honest, the only reason I watch Quidditch games is to just follow the school spirit, you know? I think this summer I'm going to focus on my violin lessons."

"Can you ask Ms. Vallow if she still has any open spots for the summer session?" Romina startled Arden with the question.

"What? Seriously?" Arden gaped. "You want to do violin lessons again?"

Romina nodded sheepishly. "I figure I might as well try to do some of that normal stuff to help me, you know, get better?"

Arden beamed. She promised Romina that she would do everything in her power to get an open spot for her. She almost lost it when Romina suggested maybe they look up a few dance classes. It was led by the same teacher.

They parted ways in front of the girls' homes and when Romina stepped inside her house, she was surprised to find her uncle home. He usually worked late. Sage was also with him in the living room. It looked like they were waiting for her.

"I told aunt Sage where I was going," Romina said as she closed the door behind her.

"You're not in trouble, dear," Sage said and motioned Romina to join them.

"Really? Cos it kind of feels like it..." she mumbled. While her aunt and uncle sat on the long couch, she took the lone couch chair.

"Romina, I want you to be perfectly honest with us here," Lyonel said, his voice implying that there would be no chance if she were to fail and lie, "Have you been writing to Abigail and Newt?"

"What?" Romina blinked a few times until the names struck. "My grandparents? No, I haven't, why?" Lyonel held a piece of parchment out to Romina. Confused, she reached over for it and saw it was a letter.

Bonjour Lyonel and Sage Oswell,

I know it has been many years since we last saw each other but I believe this is very important. We have been informed that our granddaughter Romina has expressed interest in meeting us. You can understand that this changes everything. Romina was a baby the last time we discussed this but now it is neither up to you nor us. She is the one who gets to decide and if you do not abide by her decision, I will be forced to seek legal assistance with the Ministry.

Please do not misunderstand, I know you have taken very good care of my granddaughter and I understand why it was that you took her, but now she is ready to know more about her family. She deserves to know more of the truth. Do not deny her please. Romina would be safe while she visited, and you are more than welcome to accompany her. We do not seek to take her away from you but rather we would like the same privilege you have had having her in your life.

Please, let's discuss,

Abigail Scamander

Romina couldn't find her breath for a moment after reading the letter. She went over the letter twice more, appreciating her grandmother's handwriting. It was so elegant, so...French. And she was writing on her behalf.

When Romina looked up at Lyonel and Sage, she realized they were waiting for her confession. "What — I didn't write to them!" She tossed the letter back at them and crossed her arms.

"Did you write to anyone else, sweetheart?" Sage said. Romina felt bad watching her have to pick up the letter she threw.

"Well..." she sighed, "Yeah, I wrote to Rolf."

Lyonel groaned. "I knew it—!"

"I just told him what was going on!" Romina exclaimed and frowned. "And you shouldn't get mad. I'm not asking for something impossible! You heard my grandmother, I have every right to meet them!"

"Oh for God's sake, you don't even know her!"

Romina slammed her hands on the couch armrests as she jumped from her seat. "Because you never told me about them! I don't understand how you can be angry that I want to meet part of my family!? Like — I just don't get it! What do you intend? For me to stay alone or what?"

"Romina, we just...we don't want you to get hurt..." Sage said, glancing at her husband for some help, "We have done everything we can to keep you—"

"Shielded," Romina finished for her. "I'm going to let you in on a little secret: it hasn't worked. This whole past year, I have spent it trying to look anything but Elora and Caplan. I learned how to do transfiguration on my hair just to make myself look different!"

"You did what!?" Lyonel gaped and, like her, had jumped up from the couch.

"Because I hate where I come from, alright!? And now I have the opportunity to meet people like you" — Romina gestured at them — "who are everything that my bloody parents aren't! Please don't take that from me!" She ran into Lyonel and threw her arms around him, begging him to let her go. "Please, I just want to meet them! Just for a day, please!"

Lyonel and Sage looked at each other while Romina continued to beg. In the end, hearing her almost breaking down got the best of them...and their guilt. They did what they did for her, to protect her. Everything they did in the past had always been in the name of protecting their niece. But it seemed like today, they were the ones hurting her.

"I suppose maybe we could..." Lyonel trailed off as he met Sage's gaze again. She was nodding at him. It was the right thing to do. So, with a big breath, Lyonel finally agreed to get in contact with the Scamanders.

Romina immediately pulled away from her uncle to look up at him, her eyes wide as could be. "You mean it?" Lyonel nodded, and when Romina looked over at her aunt, so was she. "I'll-I'll get to see them? I can visit them?"

"We'd have to arrange it but...I guess so," Lyonel said, "If it's what you really want—"

"Yes, yes!" Romina exclaimed. "It's definitely what I want! Yes! Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!" She hugged him excitedly and then reached for her aunt to pull her into the hug. "Thank you so much!"

A/N:

Like I said before, book 4 is where all the real fun and drama start and these coming chapters are one of my favorites. I loved, loved, fantastic beasts and I'm still so bitter that the movie series was cancelled.

As always, I have AO3/Wattpad accounts under "noblecrescent" and a tumblr account under "saiilorstars" if you'd like to follow :)