Audrey Symth

"Hey, that..?"

Joy is silent, before her dark ginger lashes flutter and she stares at the boy she called brother.

"Think so," is her breathless admission.

Dean nods back at her with a gentle smile, before looking back at the second Memorial Stone.

The fourteen year old boy sits, gesturing to the floor for his friend to sit with him. It's not an unusual practice, there were twenty or so other teenagers around them in various positions before the large, dark marble stone, heck they had only accompanied young Alyssa Goldstein here because Jay had taken the kid under her wing.

Alyssa's older brother was buried here for most probably the same reason Jay's mum was there.

Kind of funny to think, they visited these stones annually, had walked past the long, thick squares covered by names many times. Twice a year the students were required to visit, once the day after sorting, Houses coming at different times for one reason or another. The next visit being the Second of May, granted despite not being obligatory visits following first year, the few who did skip it were often looked at with disappointed gazes. Dee and Jay had skipped their second year visit following the sorting, and not a single one after that.

Before Dean's sudden kick to know all things pertaining to the War, they'd never paid a cursory glance at these blocks of gleaming stone. If they had, they might have found the name Audrey Smyth sooner.

"I read," Dean started, ", that a few German carvers got real ticked when these here Memorials were done. None the names popped up, mind you, but they were posturing here and there 'bout how the heroes of the war deserved something more magnificent to remember 'em bye than two square slabs. Forgotten who wrote the piece, but they tore 'em a new one I swear. Said if German wizards were so interested in the war they could send Disaster and Relief like France did, instead of sitting around on their arses. Said it all poncey of course."

Jay snorted, eyes still glued to the carved name, "Poncey? You forgotten who proofread your work? I ain't hear more flowery language except for in old Teddy's love poems."

"Ooh, who's he lusting after now? Has ickle Toire-kins approved of anyone yet?"

Another snort, thought slightly more muffled.

"Don't be like that, Victoire's nice, she really cares for her family, it's sweet," she put an emphasis on the name, a reminder of how little Victoire tolerated nicknames.

He laughed at that, "Victoire's smitten for Ol' Teddy-kins I reckon, can't be any other reason to be so involved in someone's love life."

Dark blue eyes flickered away from the stone for once, "Yeah?"

He nodded viciously, not quite understanding of the mischief swimming in those eyes. Had he looked to Joy, he'd not have offered the incoming insult so readily to her.

"Right then, something you have to tell me?" She grinned, he felt the mistake without quite knowing the consequence. "I mean, you were very vocal against Paps seeing anyone this summer. For sure thought you and him would fall for the book clerk Lady. Cee and I were this close to getting the date sealed before you pipped up."

Fake-gagging at the insinuation and waggling eyebrows, Dean makes a big 'X' with his arms.

"Cheek of you to bring up your dad dating right when we find your mum," the joke falls stale as he realises what he said, "Oh shit Jay, I didn't mean to–"

She cut him off with a smile, "Don't sweat. Mum prolly woulda helped some I reckon, if Paps family was anything like him then Cee and I got our personality from her for sure."

The quiet takes over, before Dean curls his knees to his chest.

"Are we gonna tell Cee we found something about your Mum? Can imagine she'll appreciate it."

Jay nods, curls bouncing, "Yeah I'll mention it to her. See if dad knows about it, Helga could count the amount of things he said about Mum to us on one hand and still have a finger or two to spare."

It's not exactly said bitterly, but the sentence hangs in the air with the distinct air of passing sadness, the last thing said for now.

Alyssa bounds towards them a few minutes later, chipper if not teary eyed as she thanked them for coming with her. Together the trio leave a handful of teenagers to their own devises, walking back for lunch.

Misplaced Crushes

Holy shit.

Holy effin' shit.

Cee gazed at Dexter, red-faced as he took a step backwards, lips in an awkward grin.

Well, this was just weird she thought, looking at the kid who had become one of her best friends. Away from home the two had stuck together, even if Dexter wasn't a wizard and because of that had a different timetable to her, the two had been thick as thieves. They'd been in and out of each other's bedrooms for years, always with their roommates permission of course. Through the four years they had been in Madrid together, she had grown to see him as one of her most important people.

He helped her train after a practice match she lost cost her the midfielder position for four month, on their second string team. He was a damn prodigy with footwork, able to teach her stability in her stance, bruising her ankle dearly in the process, but benefitting only her in the long run. Dexter had spoken to her in Spanish when they desperately needed to learn it, even if he was hesitant to use it outside of class. Let her practice words with him with cheat cards they prepared together, though he'd started with awful pronunciation, just a bit worse than hers. They were the only two from their region to get into IDEF, as such they were each other's only reminder of home.

Dexter meant a lot to her, but looking at his acne covered jaw and long, scruffy blonde hair she could only frown.

It wasn't like she didn't think he was worth liking, because he was most definitely likeable. He was patient and talented and his smile was always something to be happy to see. The girls loved to gossip about his body now that he'd begun to grown into it, even if few appreciated his blotchy skin and uneven stubble, but well.

"I'm gay." She tested the words out awkwardly, having been the first time she'd admitted them.

He paused, nodded with glazed over eyes, "Well. Shit. Sorry?" He offered finally.

"Same," she nodded her head at him.

Haltingly he asked, "How long have you– Y'know...Known? And... Is it, like– Does anyone know?"

A pretty stupid question she thought, if Dexter didn't know then he was stupid to think anyone else knew.

Though she loved her sister and brother, it wasn't like they could be each others only's from the distance that separated them. And there was no doubt she loved them just as much as they loved her and she never lied to them, tried to always tell them anything that happened to her, be it through messages, the occasional owl or even rarer real life visits. This bit of information however, hadn't been one she'd felt like sharing just yet, though she knew her brother and sister wouldn't mind. Most likely. It was just, something she needed to stew on a little longer.

Taking her continued silence as a sign, Dexter continues with, "I won't tell anyone, not unless you give me the green card to. I'm sorry again about, kissing. You. Just, feel a little stupid now that I'm saying it, but the boys were telling me that I liked you because we're always together and...Yeah."

Still thrown, Cee nods her head, "Do you, like...Me? Because if you need space, I can," she holds her hands up to gesture backing off.

Snorting, Dext throws an arm around her shoulder, ruffling her hair with the other hand and in the process putting her in prime spot to smell his awful B.O.

"Oh rotten Dext, let me go," she kicked at him.

Yelping, he let her go with an easy grin, "A bit too cute for me liking Cee, I dunno truth be told I'm still on the fence about if I like you or not...But nah, I think mostly you're just like me little sister."

Rolling her eyes, Cee relaxes with a relieved sigh, giving him a bright grin.

Hi

He's a grown man with children, he's long since accepted not being in his family's life. Though he avoided actively thinking about them for years, he hadn't just forgotten about them. The only reason he could bake was because his mother taught him, there are memories tying him to a completely different life and he's learnt more or less, to cope. Because he's learnt all you can really do, is cope.

The first time he has his niece at his house, his heart freezes over like ice. Lav and Vati had picked the kids up while he prepared lunch for them. In his mind, he had been prepared, but now it feels different. Like lighting and ice coursing through his blood stream.

Her name is Victoire, she is barely two years younger than the girls and she looks like her mother. Fleur is a vague memory of his, silky blonde locks, a haughty tilt in her smile but a solid head on her shoulders. Victoire has her mother's smile if only a touch more shy and a bright, inquisitive stare. His heart palpitations are strong as he looks at her.

Joy and Dean had told him, he had known from the end of Easter break months ago, that she'd be accompanying them. But still, none of his preparations could handle this. She looked like Fleur, but held herself more like Bill. A quiet confidence behind airy gestures, nothing threatening or holier than thou like he remembered of Fleur. Slowly, dark eyes relish in familiar features, the sharp nose he was raised with, the light sprinkle of freckles, the long, thick hair. Even the same, large jean-jacket she wore was familiar.

It was frayed and older than when he last saw it, but the lion he recalled Bill sewing on was still bright and red and gold as when he'd sewed it on during his seventh year.

There had been a time when he'd buried himself in that jean-jacket, held it close to him during his first ever heart break with his brothers arm around him. When he'd stolen it months later for his first ever date-date and not just meeting up during school hours and calling it a date.

Tagnius gulps, plastering on a close-mouthed smile.

"Hello, lovely to meet you I'm– I'm Tagnius Prewett, Joy's father."

"Hi," is the quiet reply, with that shy, brilliant smile.

(Later.

"Sorry about Paps, he can be a wanker sometimes."

"No, not he's great! I just, get shy in front of strangers."

A snort answered her declaration followed by a murmur of, "Well he didn't have to stare at you like he did. Would think he's never met a thirteen year old before."

Victoire was quiet, before she looked up with a bright, happy smile. "No it's fine, people tend to stare because you know, Veela– But, I dunno he didn't stare like them. It was just, different."

Joy shook her head, laying down on Victoire's bed, "Fine, fine. Anyway what you waiting for? Get comfortable, I can feel knots forming in my back from just watching you stand so awkwardly."

Rolling her eyes, Victoire says nothing as she flops onto the bed as well. It feels nice, she decides. To be away from everyone, even if just for a while. Especially Teddy, the prat.)

Head-Canons

Audrey's family is old, pureblood money. The house and land they currently live on used to be a well managed farm until the generation just before her dad.

Audrey's grandfather was a hermit and a gambler, he lost most of his values before he met his second wife who made a proper, honest wizard out of him. His first wife died when they were both young. Because of this though technically rich, Tagnius isn't like extravagant living rich, most of their treasure having vanished during the Grindelwald period.

Charlie's had Louis and Roxanne for a summer, both at separate times. They're the only two of his abundant nieces and nephews to have asked to spend time at the Reserve with him. Victoire really loves him, but she's terrified of dragons.

Lily-Luna and Hugo are the only ones to always spend a portion of their summer at Burrow following their third-year. They say to their siblings and cousins it's because they love their grandparents, which they do! But truthfully, they just find living at the Burrow so much more relaxing than keeping up with the drama being a Weasley/Potter entails. Plus, now that their kids are all varying degrees of successful, Arthur and Molly spoil their grandchildren silly. The only down side is they have little clue on what wi-fi is and are always in need of help with it, Lily and Hugo manage however.

Louis and James don't get along, enough so that Louis once begged to be sent to Beauxbatons Academy. Fleur very nearly said yes, but Fred convinced him not to move because his friends would miss him. He may have also said no one forced him and James to interact, same house or not.

Fred imagines the stars shine only for Uncle Ron and Aunt Ginny, even if he's closest to Dom and in default her parents. This is one hundred percent to do with the fact that Quidditch is his be all and end all.

Roxanne goes through an anime phase, but it's a sports anime phase so she cons Fred into asking Danny their Captain, into letting her be the 'Team Manager.' He lets her keep the position because her work-out routines and strategies were actually O-game, even if the reason she done it a bit shoddy.

Sexuality is a meh topic, but I've been hinting at Cee being gay for a while, even if she didn't really realise being a kid and all. Also, her first crush before she realised she liked girls, was Aeri. Her following one, when she realises she's a lesbian at fifteen, is a first stringer from a competitors school, her name is Christina Castillo. She's unimportant, mostly.

Double post bc I can. Anyway thanks for reading and a little heads up, I'm finally getting to the reunion part. It just took me forever lmao.