The three black sisters were seated in the eldest's room. The curtains were drawn; the light off and there was a soft glowing wand between the three of them. Callidora's wand as the other sisters were still in school and, therefore, underage.

Cedrella Black had a worried frown covering her face; her sisters were watching her with concern.

"Cedrella, what is it? What is this big secret that has you so worried?" Her younger sister, Charis, asked. She reached forward to grip onto Cedrella's hands but Cedrella flinched away from the touch. This only concerned her sisters more.

"Cedrella," Callidora, the eldest of the three, said. Her voice was soft, quiet but there was a demand hidden there. She could not be refused.

"I," Cedrella paused to clear her throat, "I have fallen in love."

Of all the possible words that the sisters expected to come out of Cedrella's mouth, that was not one.

"Isn't that a good thing," both sisters could hear the hope in the youngest sister's voice, the happiness.

Cedrella looked away and Callidora started to get a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. Surely not, she wouldn't.

"It would be," Cedrella said eventually, "If I fell in love with someone from a respectable family." Cedrella practically spat out the word, respectable. Who decides who's respectable anyway? Why is his family not?

Charis, who had been leaning forward in her excitement, flinched back like she'd been struck. Callidora spared her a look, but focused on Cedrella who looked like she was about to faint. Callidora wasn't sure if she should be worried, or disgusted.

"Who?" The question seemed to echo around the empty, silent room. Callidora didn't move her eyes away from her sister's face. She was waiting for the name of a half-blood or mudblood to come out of her mouth, hoping and praying this man wasn't a muggle.

Charis, who was glaring at a spot on the patchwork rug, looked up at the question. She was not sure what to think about her sister's words. Cedrella was her big sister, she was family but if she fell in love with a mudblood, was she truly family?

"It's-" Cedrella paused, she couldn't continue. She knew what her family would think, well, what her mother and father would, at least, she heard enough of the rants about her boyfriend's family. Her sisters were a little different, they were unpredictable. Charis looked horrified, disgusted but would she stay that way once she knew his name? Or would she stay with her, be her family.

"Who is it, Cedrella?" Callidora's voice was hard, unforgiving. She wanted answers and she wanted them now. The longer it took for her sister to answer, the worse her feeling became.

"Septimus Weasley," Cedrella said it quickly, like lancing a wound. She closed her eyes and waited for the reactions.

The air seemed to still with her words, Callidora couldn't move, Charis' jaw dropped.

"A Weasley?" Callidora said eventually.

"Yes."

"Well, that's-"

"Awful! How could you do this to our family?"

Both elder sisters turned to the youngest. Her face was a blazing red, her eyes angry, unforgiving.

"Charis, please understand."

"No, you will break up with him. You will fall in love with someone more worthy, not a disgusting blood traitor."

Cedrella could feel her eyes starting to water but she refused to let the tears fall. "Charis-"

"No, if you don't swear to break up with him right now, I'm telling mother."

Cedrella's eyes hardened, she wasn't a huge fan of their mother, she never had been. The threat was a useless one to her, she didn't care.

Charis could see the defiance sink into her sister's eyes and her own eyes hardened in response. "You are not a Black, you are not my sister." Charis stood up and stormed out of the room, leaving the two oldest sisters in silence once again.

After a moment, Cedrella turned to her sister. "I suppose it's your turn to belittle and disown me."

She sounded bitter; Callidora supposed she had a good reason to. "No, I'm not going to disown you."

Cedrella looked up, her mouth parted, ready to speak but Cedrella wouldn't let her. "You will always be my sister. The Weasleys are a pureblood family and I have always believed to be respectable enough. You have my blessing, even if you don't have it from anyone else."

Cedrella stared at her sister in shock. She couldn't believe the words coming out of her mouth, though she was overjoyed to hear them. "Why?" She asked, she couldn't help but wonder on her sisters motive.

Callidora stared for a long moment, considering her answer and making Cedrella shift uncomfortably. "You are my sister. Almost all my life, you have been there. You never left me, I won't leave you."

Cedrella's tear finally fell from her eyes. "Thank you, Callidora, thank you so much."

The next morning came too soon her for the three Black family sisters. Charis was regretting her words last night but was too proud to take them back. She still agreed with what she said, a blood traitor was not worthy enough to be a part of the Black family, but she still felt saddened. She disowned her sister, nothing could take that back. Seeing her mother walk into the kitchen caused her to cringe and duck her head. She didn't want to do this, but she had to. She needed to protect the family. Taking a deep breath, she made a decision she would come to regret.

"Mother, there is something you should know."

Cedrella woke in the early morning light with her older sister's arms around her waist. She snuggled into the warmth and listened to her sisters soft, even breaths. She refused to think about last night events or the dried tear tracks on her face. Her contentment didn't last long.

"Cedrella Black! You get yourself down here this minute!"

Callidora woke with a start, looking around the room in undiscussed fright. When her eyes landed on Cedrella, terrified but determined, she realised what woke her.

"Cedrella!" Their mother screeched from downstairs. The sisters turned to one another and Callidora nodded, a smile, a sad smile materializing on her face for a moment.

Cedrella managed to smile in return and took a deep breath. She may not care about her mother's opinion, but she was scared of her. They were Blacks after all, they were dangerous. Letting her confidence grow, she squared her shoulders and walked towards what she knew would be her last moments as an acknowledged member of the Black family.

Entering the kitchen, she saw her younger sister sitting at the counter with her head in her hands. Their mother was next to her, a hand on her shoulder and their father was silent in the corner of the room. Cedrella refused to let her fear show.

"Tell me the truth." Her mother's voice was soft, deadly. "Have you fallen in love with a Weasley?"

Cedrella took another deep breath and, with the warmth of her older sister behind her, looked into her mother's eyes. "Yes, I'm in love with Septimus Weasley." She waited for the explosion. She didn't have to wait long; unfortunately, it wasn't an explosion of words.

Cedrella's head snapped to the side, her father standing in front of her with his hand raised.

"Father!"

"Arcturus!"

"She deserved it." His cold voice silenced the room.

Cedrella trembled, with pain and fear. Her father was usually a silent presence in the house. He went to work, ate dinner at home with a glass of firewhisky and then went to bed with their mother. He was never involved in the household drama. His family was purely for show, nothing more, nothing less. He never involved himself, until now.

Cedrella dared not look up into his eyes. He didn't give her a choice. Gripping her face in a bruising grip, he pulled her so she was looking into his eyes. Her legs almost gave out at his deadly look .

"Get out, don't come back. You are a disgrace." He threw her head away roughly, causing her to stumble to the ground. She didn't move, not even to breath.

"I must go to work, Lysandra. Make sure she is gone, and the others are still true to our heritage. They will marry into respectable families or they will be disowned. If they prove unfit, send them with the filth."

Cedrella suppressed a flinch at his words, she concealed the tears.

"Of course, Arcturus," her mother sounded so subdued, almost sad.

"Good."

Her father left and the whole room seemed to take a deep breath.

"You heard the man, get your stuff and leave. You are a disgrace."

Cedrella couldn't help but think her mother didn't sound angry, though she did try. Cedrella looked up and at her former family. Her younger sister was no longer hiding her tears. She was pale and shaking, staring at Cedrella's cheek. Her mother's eyes were hard but there was a deep sadness hidden well. Callidora was angry, though not at anyone in this room.

"Mother, surely you don't agree with what father has done. Cedrella only fell in love and the Weasley's are a pureblood family."

"They are blood traitors; it's just as bad as falling in love with a mudblood."

"But, mother-"

"Do not make me kick you out too!" Their mother snapped. Callidora fell silent but only because she heard the plea in her mother's voice.

"Its okay, Callidora, I'll be fine." She turned to her younger sister and mother, focusing on her sister. She didn't say anything but she didn't need to, her glare said enough. I blame you.

Within moments, Cedrella had turned and was collecting her possessions and within the hour she was out the door, leaving her childhood home for the last time.

The house was always a lively one, having seven children will do that to a house. The Weasley family was a family filled with laughter and noise every moment of every day. There was only one member of the family that wasn't joining in with the laughter though he did have a smile. Septimus was preoccupied with his thoughts, thoughts of his girlfriend who was planning on telling her sisters about him. He was worried about her, he hadn't heard from her since summer started.

"Septimus, are you okay?"

Being the youngest, his family worried over him a lot. His oldest brother was the one checking on him this time but he could see the occasional glances sent his way from other members of the family.

"Yes, just thinking."

His older brother opened his mouth to reply when a knock sounded from the front door. Nine faced turned in the direction of the door as their father answered it. There, in the doorway of the Weasley families front door was one of the Black sisters. A sister with a large, purple bruise on the left side of her face and smaller ones scattered around her jaw line.

All but one Weasley face showed suspicion.

"Cedrella," Septimus explained, jumping up and racing over to the girl.

A small smile spread over Cedrella's face but the whole household could see how fake it was. "Septimus, I told them."

Septimus frowned, making the connection between the comment and the bruises.

"Which one hit you?" He couldn't bare it if one of her sisters hit her. Cedrella loved them so much, if they physically hurt her, she may never recover from the heartache.

"My father."

Septimus was seething but couldn't help feeling a little bit of relief at the news. Cedrella never liked her father.

By now the other Weasleys in the family could guess what happened. The second youngest son, Raoul, was smirking like he just caught the canary.

"Is this her?" He asked.

All faces turned towards the boy. Septimus glared at his brother, Cedrella's smile became a little wider and everyone else frowned in confusion.

"The girlfriend, is this her?"

"Yes," Septimus said, his glare becoming almost dangerous.

That was the moment chaos erupted.

"You have a-"

"How did-"

"-worshiped, he snagged a Black sister-"

"Everyone, quiet." The demand cut through the noise like a knife and caused Cedrella to flinch away. "Sorry, dear. I didn't mean to frighten you." The Weasley father said softly.

Cedrella nodded but moved closer to Septimus.

"Now, all questions can be asked later, right now," the father turned to Cedrella, "do you need a place to stay?"

Cedrella's eyes widened but she nodded again.

"Okay, you will stay with us. No arguments." His voice was warm but firm and Cedrella dared not argue. She just nodded for the third time and smiled.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"You're welcome my dear, now, let's see if we can do something about those bruises hmm?"

Cedrella smiled, maybe this day wasn't as bad as she first thought.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

Callidora didn't move from her spot by the door, she didn't say a word.

"I didn't want this to happen."

"What did you want then? What did you honestly expect to happen?" Callidora said, her first words since Cedrella left.

Charis curled into herself. Her hair was a mess, her eyes rimmed with red and her face blotchy from crying. "I wanted to protect the family."

They were the wrong words to say because Callidora's eyes hardened. "Cedrella is your family, she is your sister. You betrayed her, hurt her. You didn't protect her. How can you call yourself respectable when you betray your family the moment your views differ?"

Charis sobbed intensified. It was the first time she saw it like that, Callidora was right, she betrayed her family.

"I'm sorry," she whimpered.

Callidora didn't offer her any sympathy. "Sorry doesn't fix this. Nothing will ever fix this."

Charis looked up at her sister, "I know."

(w.c 2,332)

WolfWinks –xx-