This one-shot really has no business being as long as it is ... it's over 20k+ words and it felt like it could have been even longer 

Also, for this story, the character is named because otherwise, it would drive me absolutely insane. This is the first part of my 'Slytherin Sisters' series (which is a rubbish name, but still), and because it's about sisters and there are going to be so many of them, they need names. Trust me, there's no other way these stories will work. I think there'll be about 9 stories in total in this series, which will be posted sporadically (... but aren't all of these posted sporadically?)

Anyway, give it a read and let me know what you think ~

As per usual, it's unedited 

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Moments of peace were rare to come by in my home. It was understandable, with 9 sisters, the lingering memory of the lady of the house, an absent father and a ... live-in mistress, it was understandable that it was difficult to come by a moment of quiet. Salazar, I wasn't sure my sisters really understood what silence meant. For now, there was a short moment of reprieve, if only until our guests for this evening went. But, in the build-up to the arrival of the Higgs family, we were all getting ready to welcome them. Still, if I listened closely enough, I could hear Euta, Era and Rania squabbling amongst themselves about something. Just this once, they would have to make do without my presence as their peacekeeper. I had a very important guest to prepare for; just the thought of him had me smiling.

I didn't dare even look in the mirror, knowing I looked like a fool when I smiled so widely, so easily. Still a voice that sounded from the back of my head, sounding remarkably like Terence, reminded me that he liked when I smiled so honestly. He much preferred my real smile, all gummy and wide, compared to the one I'd perfected to show others.

The sound of my sister's squabbling grew louder and I sighed, knowing I would need to step in. Father absolutely would not step in, not seeing it as his place - rather, it was my place. Certainly not the place of his mistress to step in when her daughter's squabbled. As the only child born from my parent's marriage, a lot fell onto my shoulders, including hiding the truth of my siblings' birth from society. I hurried to dismiss the thought, knowing it would lead to a downward spiral the way it always did.

Peering into the mirror on my vanity, I checked my features in the mirror. It would be my last opportunity to make sure I looked presentable before the Higgs family arrived because any minute now, someone would call for me and I'd have no time to do anything else.

"Cali!" Sure enough, Mellie's voice rang through the house. It was likely that she'd already tried to intercede, probably by pulling rank as the third eldest sister, older than the three that were arguing. They were probably arguing about something silly.

Sighing, I stood from the vanity and left my bedroom. I followed the sounds of the bickering, walking across the hallway towards Rania's bedroom. But, my steps halted at the sight of father who stood in the open doorway of his mistress's bedroom. He spoke to her in hushed tones, as if even still, after almost two decades of her presence in my mother's halls, she was still a dirty secret. I suppose when she was first moved into the home heavily pregnant with their first child whilst my mother was pregnant with me, she had been a dirty secret then. Perhaps it was a small mercy to the memory of my mother that he hadn't moved her into the rooms he'd shared with mother upon her passing. I'd certainly expected it, but it hadn't happened. His mistress remained the sheltered secret, even as she bore him 8 daughters. How could she stand him?

I looked briefly over the pair, knowing I had to brush past them as if I hadn't noticed them to begin with. It was certainly the best way to deal with the bitter venom of knowing that despite being the only true-born Selman daughter, I was the one that didn't belong in this home. By right, it was all mine and yet, I was the outsider. Forcing my feet forward, I held my head high and continued past the adults, briefly hearing my father make empty apologies for confiding his mistress to her rooms for the evening. Did she not realise that despite all the gilded words he offered her, she was nothing more than a caged bird to her, one to put on display around the company he wanted to show her off to and to put lock away when he thought best? If I lingered too long, I would begin to pity the woman and I refused to pity the woman who had unintentionally made the last years of my mother's life hell. If I let myself, my mind would wander to the not-so-distant memories of mother, delirious and in pain, crying out for a husband who was spending his every day showering his mistress with treasures and his every night taking her to bed.

Letting out a deep breath from between pursed lips, my right hand went to my left wrist, clutching to the gold band that was always wrapped around it. Terence, upon my insistence that we were far too young for a gold band around my finger, had offered it as a compromise instead. In moments like this, the bracelet was a lifeline; the warmth of the metal eased the tension from my shoulders. Returning my arms to my side, I continued to my original destination. When I reached Rania's bedroom, I didn't bother to knock.

Pushing the door open, I stepped into the room and instantly found my sisters. Euta, looking extremely irritated stood between both Era and Rania who looked close to lunging for each other. Mellie, who sat on Rania's bed with her head in her hands, glanced up when I cleared my throat pointedly.

"I tried my best," Mellie said with an irritated sigh. "I know you wanted to get ready to see Terence."

My other three sisters, as if being reminded that my long-term boyfriend and their not-quite-yet brother-in-law were set to visit, dropped their animosity in a heartbeat. They instantly looked like embarrassed children. Well, they were still children with Euta being the eldest of the three at 16. Salazar, what was she doing squabbling with Rania who had only recently turned 13?

"Do I even want to know what you were squabbling about?" I asked eventually.

The three shared a look before shaking their head. Eventually, Era was the one who worked up the nerve to admit, "Probably not."

Shaking my head and not knowing what else to say, I wordlessly pointed to the door. One by one, my sisters filed out of the bedroom and headed for the stairs. When we reached the top of the stairs, I lingered just a moment at the sound of the voices that drifted upstairs; our guests had arrived.

I continued on my way, following after my sisters into the drawing room where everyone waited. Father was busy speaking to our guests and didn't acknowledge a single one of his daughters who stood in a group. I supposed we could make a rather intimidating image when all 9 of us were together. Although, I doubted anyone that knew us actually thought that.

Polly, my youngest sister, stood at my side and wound her pinky finger through mine, using my presence to hold her steady. She always became anxious around others. Wordlessly, I reached adjusted my hand, holding hers steady as the Higgs's continued to talk to father. Not that my eyes were on them. Rather my eyes were solely reserved for their son who was holding my gaze steady. Terence smiled knowingly like he knew I wanted nothing more than to go straight into his arms. It had been far too long. Thankfully, I wouldn't have to wait long.

Father was prompt to usher Mr and Mrs Higgs further into our home and Terence made no move to follow after his parents. He remained where he was. My sisters spoke amongst themselves and were quick to follow after the adults, greeting Terence in turn as they passed him. I listened as Terence greeted them all by name and silently counted off all 8 until we were finally alone.

The moment we were alone, Terence crossed the space between us with easy steps. Before I could say anything or even greet him, he took my hand in his, wound our fingers together and started walking. Terence drew me behind him, leading me upstairs and I followed him without a word, curious. But when we made it to my bedroom, I was looking at him with raised eyebrows. Finally letting go of my hand, Terence stood self-assured in my bedroom.

Pressing my back against the closed door, I took the opportunity to appraise him. He was always a sight for sore eyes. When Terence met my eyes, I struggled to hold back my gummy smile. "This is rather presumptuous of you, Terence."

When my teasing smile became full-blown, he returned the grin with one of his own. He approached me then, crowding me against the door and pressing his forehead against mine. Eagerly anticipating a kiss, my eyes flickered shut, head tilted towards his. He didn't kiss me. Instead, he grasped my hand in his.

Opening my eyes, I watched in confusion as Terence straightened up. He reached into his pocket, drawing out a ring box which he flicked open with a single hand. Silently, he held out the box towards me, showing me the beautiful ancestral ring. My eyes flickered between his and the ring; it was always going to happen. Terence was my betrothed, he had always been my betrothed and a ring like this was always to be expected. And yet, it still took me by surprise, how honoured and loved I felt at his wordless not actually needed proposal.

"It's beautiful," I said and that was all he needed. Taking the ring out of the box, Terence slid it onto my fourth finger and then kissed my hand.

"Not as beautiful as you," he spoke at last.

Swatting his chest, I tried to scowl, "Don't be cheesy."

When I went to hit his chest again, Terence easily caught my hand, tugging me into his chest. I went all too willingly, letting him cradle me against him. His hands settled on my waist, and he lowered his head at last, kissing me softly. Reluctantly drawing away, Terence brushed his nose against mine.

"I missed you so much," I confessed.

"I've missed you too," he assured me, kissing me again. "Merlin, I thought I was going to go crazy from not seeing you."

We held each other close then, rocking side to side gently to the rhythm of a silent song. In a short while we'd need to go and join everyone else, but for now, we could hold each other. BUrrowing my head into the crook of his neck, I closed my eyes in contentment; I always wanted to be held by him

**********

Shopping for Hogwarts supplies was always an endeavour, especially now that all of my sisters were of age we all clambered out of the house. Even Polly who was now 11 and should have been going to Hogwarts tagged along. Except we all knew she wouldn't be going to Hogwarts but she didn't want to miss out on the experience. She would never say it, perhaps too painful to say it, but I caught sight of the lingering envious glances she cast around at the soon-to-be first years who chattered excitedly. I knew I wasn't the only one to notice; Clio had gone out of her way to tuck Polly into her side throughout the trip. Now that we finally made it home, my sisters all ran to their rooms, to put away their shopping.

I lingered in the entryway, watching as they made their way through the house. Briefly, I let myself entertain the idea that father would come out, to even pretend to show interest in our purchases, but I knew better. He was off doing something that was far more important. Rolling my shoulders as if to physically shake off the bitter stab of disappointment, I gathered my shopping bags; I should have known better by now.

My arms, growing heavy under the weight of my shopping bags, had me walking quickly towards my bedroom. The sooner I got them to my room, the better. But, as I made my way towards the staircase, my eyes instantly sought out the boy crouched on the bottom step, his arm cradled securely around one of my sisters who rested against him. Terence, sitting on the stairs had Thalia cradled against him as he spoke to her with hushed whispers. Instantly I abandoned my shopping and rushed towards them. Kneeling in front of my sister, I reached for her hands, holding them steady.

Searching her pale face, I glanced at Terence for an explanation. Even when Thalia started to protest, he explained, "I caught her swaying on her feet."

"It's a good thing you were here," I said with a grateful sigh, lifting a hand towards him. He closed the distance easily, letting me cradle his cheek briefly before we both looked back at the weak 12-year-old. "Thalia, why didn't you say that you weren't feeling good?"

"I didn't want to spoil the day again," she protested, straightening up so she was no longer leaning heavily against Terence's waiting shoulder. "The same thing happened last year."

"You wouldn't have spoiled the day," I said with an exasperated sigh. Pushing some of her hair from her forehead, I cast yet another glance at Terence; of the pair of us, he had the greater affinity to healing magic. "You didn't spoil the day last year, either."

Thalia jutted out her bottom lip petulantly, "Liar."

"Thalia," Terence said with a sigh. "Come on now, you know you need to say when you're not feeling well."

Terence's tone, stricter than it usually was with my sisters, had her nodding and averting her eyes. Well, at least she listened to someone. Knowing there was nothing more to say, and that Thalia wouldn't listen to anything regardless, I rose to my feet. Holding her hands steadily, I silently motioned for her to stand and, after straining slightly and relying on the sturdy arm Terence wrapped around her side, she stood on shaking feet. Salazar she'd overexerted herself so much and none of us had noticed. Just when had she gotten so good at pretending?

"You need to rest," I said at last, in a tone that she knew not to fight against. "Let us help you to your room."

"There's no need," father's voice, completely unexpected - and unwanted - cut through the calm air around us.

My head snapped up quickly, seeking him out. I found him in a heartbeat as he stood at the top of the stairs, surveying the scene before him but making no attempts to join us or support Thalia. My sister's hands tightened their hold on mine like she knew that I wanted to ball them into tight fists. Father had always loved his illegitimate children more than he'd loved me and even then, despite that, he couldn't bring himself to love them enough to care for one as weak as Thalia.

Terence broached the silence. He appraised my father with a warm smile, it was his superpower; his ability to always offer someone a friendly smile, even if he didn't want to smile at someone. "Good afternoon, sir."

My father turned his eyes to Terence then, offering him a polite smile in return. "Good afternoon, Terence. I wasn't expecting any guests."

"I didn't intend to intrude for long," Terence's easy tone paired with the single, reassuring flicker of his eyes towards me, was enough to have some of the tension easing out of me. "Cali and I are supposed to go out for dinner."

"Oh?" Father's punctuated his response with a raised eyebrow, but I paid him no heed.

I was instead too busy wondering how I'd forgotten about our date. And yet, I knew the answer all too well, whenever I lost myself in my pseudo-parental responsibilities, my relationship with Terence always took the hit. This wasn't the first date I'd forgotten about and I doubted that it would be the last. Unable to bring myself to meet Terence's knowing eyes, I instead lowered my eyes to Thalia's small hands in mine. Rubbing my thumbs over the back of her hands, I tried to bring some warmth into them.

"I'll bring her back before curfew," Terence assured my father as the silence lingered.

"I'm not worried about that, you always bring her home on time." Father paused before calling out "Terpsichore!"

Thalia held back a groan; father was the only one who insisted on calling Psi by her full name, even though he knew she hated it. At last, looking to the top of the stairs, I watched as my fifth sister peeked out of her bedroom and approached father. Her steps were slow, eyes appraising the situation and trying to get a read on it.

Psi hasn't even stopped beside father before he commanded, "Take Thalia to her room, she needs to rest."

My sister, only ever completely obliging when it meant she would get away from father quicker, said "Yes, father" and made her way quickly towards us.

When Thalia turned towards Psi, holding onto her for strength, Father spoke again, "Calliope, join me in my study, you and Terence can go about your merry way after we speak."

"Is there something we need to discuss?" I asked, trying to keep the wariness from my tone. My eyes followed my sisters' every step they took up the stairs.

"There is," Father said simply before fixing his stare on my boyfriend. "I hope you don't mind waiting, Terence, I have something to discuss with the heir of my household."

"Of course not, sir." Even Terence sounded wary, but he couldn't protest. His hand darted out for a moment, seeking out my hand and cradling it steadily. When I linked our fingers together, he squeezed our hands briefly.

Father's eyes flickered towards our hands before he turned on his heels, heading in the direction of his study with a simple command, "Come."

From experience, I knew it was better to get these conversations over and done with. There was no point in dragging it out, and yet, I wanted to linger at Terence's side, to embrace him before facing my father, especially when I was certain he intended to rebuke me for not paying attention to Thalia's health. After all, what good was I if I couldn't look after them? Reluctantly, I pulled my hand away from Terence's with a murmured promise that I would return soon and followed father to his study.

By the time I reached the room and closed the door behind me, Father was already sitting behind the desk. I approached the chair across from him but made no move to sit. Instead, I curled my hands around the back of the chair, tightening my grip to root me. For a long moment, he said nothing, simply tapping his hand against the desk in an uneven rhythm.

"Father," I prompted, all too aware that Terence was waiting for me. Wordlessly, Father picked up the parchment set on the desk in front of him and held it out for me to take.

Apprehensively, I reached for the parchment and read through it once, then twice, to make sure I was reading it correctly. It was a contract. In my hands was a contract Father had drawn up, fully intending for me to sign it. It stipulated that, once he passed, I would become the head of the Selman household, with the obligation of being the guardian of all my siblings until they all became adults - until 11-year-old Polly turned 18. Swallowing harshly to keep myself from blurting out dozens of questions, I studied my father from over the top of the contract.

"Are you - is there something wrong?" I managed to ask because why was there - what was the need for something like this in the first place?

Father didn't answer me. Instead, he reached for a quill and held it out expectantly towards me. It was not a request and there was no choice. My father intended me to take on the burden of raising my siblings, should something happen to him before Polly turned 18 and that would involve my remaining a part of the Selman household of never binding myself to - to the man waiting downstairs until that happened.

"Father," I tried to think of something, anything to say, but what was there to say?

Abandoning the sentence with a shake of my head, I accepted the quill and signed the bottom of the parchment. Because what else was there for me to do? Looking after the sisters that came after me, was all I had ever done. I'd had it drilled into my head from a young age that my sole purpose was to look after the daughters father created with his beloved mistress, who he refused to acknowledge was a bird trapped in an elaborate cage. Father was the sort of man who destroyed every woman that had the misfortune of being in his life, whether that was his wife, his mistress or his daughters. It mattered little to him.

It certainly didn't matter to him that by asking me to sign this, he was solidifying my unofficial role as my sister's maternal figure, their guardian. And if I was to be the guardian that was outlined in this contract, until they were all legally adults, I could never become anything more than a Selman. I was to remain Calliope Selman, regardless of how desperately I had been looking forward to becoming Calliope Higgs. Becoming Terence's wife was the only thing I had ever wanted for myself and even that - how much more could I give?

Putting the signed contract back onto the desk, I remained standing, waiting for Father to say something, to acknowledge the large sacrifice I'd made - the sacrifices I'd continued to make for my family - but he didn't. Accepting the contract, Father picked up the quill and put his own signature on the bottom and could not even look at me.

Hating that I had expected anything else, I turned my back to him and returned to Terence's side. My steps were heavy and I knew my mood had very obviously changed. I tried my hardest to perk myself up when Terence's waiting figure came into sight, but it was no use. No matter how hard I tried to pretend everything was alright, he would always be able to see the truth.

"Is something wrong?" Terence asked eyebrows furrowed as I came to a stop in front of him.

The honest truth was, there had to be something wrong. Something had to be truly, horrifyingly wrong for my father to put such a contract into place. But, I couldn't speak the words aloud, I couldn't tell Terence about the contract; the last thing I wanted was for me to bring the words to life and to speak them into existence.

"Nothing's wrong," I said with a small smile.

Unconvinced but knowing not to push me on it, Terence drew me to his side with a strong arm around my waist. When my side brushed against him, he dropped a lingering kiss on my temple. He repeated the action once, twice and then a third time, finally straightening up when I let out an audible sigh.

"Come on," he said softly, words for my ears only, "After a day of looking after everyone, it's time for me to take care of you."

**********

Despite the stress that came with going back to school, especially with all of the exams I was in the middle of completing, was a much-needed reprieve. It brought me sanctuary from the overbearing eyes of my father and his indifference. It was easier to breathe when I was at school, even if I still couldn't avoid his suffocating expectations. Those followed me everywhere, even when father's appraising eyes were not on me. My surname was a weighty one, one I needed to bare even within the bustling corridors of the school.

"Did anyone else find that exam absolutely horrendous?" the distant question, asked by one of my dormmates brought me from my thoughts. "What was the policy on resitting exams again?"

"Think positive thoughts," I said, optimistically as we walked.

"Maybe you should take that advice for yourself," Terence said, dropping into step at my side. He reached out effortlessly, lacing our fingers together, his finger rubbing soothingly back and forth against the cool band of my ring. "I thought I was supposed to be the optimistic one, and you the pessimistic one."

I shot him a look. "Why do either one of us need to be the pessimistic one?"

Terence smiled knowingly, the corner of his eyes crinkling slightly, "Don't pretend that your mind doesn't instantly jump to the worst conclusion."

When I insisted, "I have no idea what you're talking about," Terence's smile only widened further.

He lowered his head towards me, speaking softly, but teasingly as he wondered, "Do you really?"

"Really," I insisted, not even attempting to fight my smile as I tilted my head up towards his.

I rose to my toes, to brush the tip of my nose against his before dropping my heels once more to the floor. There were sounds of disgust echoing around us as our housemates openly despaired. One even went so far as to call us sickening, but neither of us paid them any mind. If anything, Terence released my hand, looping his arm around my shoulder and all too easily drawing me into his side. I went willingly, wrapping my arm around his waist as we walked, matching our paces so we fell behind our housemates.

"I can't wait for the summer holidays," Terence confessed, squeezing my shoulder briefly. When I glanced curiously towards him, he explained, "I'm planning to ask your father for permission to abduct you for a few weeks."

Scoffing at Terence's ridiculous belief that my father would care about anything he intended to do or the idea that I cared about my father's permission, I rolled my eyes. I could acknowledge, silently and briefly, that I some hidden part of me wanted my father to care but the honest truth was that he didn't care. He never had. But it wouldn't do to contemplate that any longer.

Misinterpreting my gesture, Terence explained, "Your father is a traditional man, it;s why he's had all of you betrothed."

I stopped myself short of correcting Terence that my father was a controlling man, one who wanted all of his daughters to do as he bid and instead dug my fingers into Terence's side. It worked as effortlessly as I knew it would; he squirmed, staving off the urge to laugh as my fingers mercilessly teased the ticklish spot between his ribs. His free hand, warm and sturdy, plucked my hand from his side. He held it captive, not that I was complaining.

"Terence," I said, drawing out his name as we turned the corridor, approaching the common room, "what makes you think that I want to go anywhere with you."

We paused outside of the common room. Terence released me from his arms, turning his body to face me. His eyes appraised me, sparking an all-too-familiar giddiness to sweep through me the way it always did. Reaching out wordlessly, Terence cradled my face in his hand, tilting it up towards his. My eyes were locked with his, holding them steady as he lowered his head towards mine.

"Don't you want to go away with me?" he asked against my lips, punctuating his question with a lingering kiss.

Smiling against his mouth, my eyes flickered up to match his waiting gaze when he drew back a short distance. Closing the space between us again, it was my turn to murmur, "I could be convinced."

Our second kiss lingered longer, bordering on inappropriate for the school corridor before we reluctantly drew back. It would hardly do for us to behave in a way that lost Terence his Head Boy position so close to the end of the school year. Although, as I pulled away from Terence, I knew from the look in his eyes alone, that he was just as disappointed at our new distance.

"Don't look at me like that," I said, clearing my throat and glancing away from him.

"Don't look at you like what?" Even without looking at him, I could hear the teasing smile on his face.

Announcing the password for the common room, I reached blindly for Terence's hand and held it firm as the passageway appeared. "Stop it you."

Before he could tease me again - and I knew he would tease me again - I tugged him after me into the corridor. Even as he fell into step behind me, Terence chuckled gently but said nothing. Once we reached the common room, Terence came to a still at my side, tightening his hold on my hand when I moved to let go. He silenced my protests about wanting to go to my dorm, with a single look. Knowing better than to protest - because it would only end up in us squabbling like children - I let him lead me towards the armchair before the window; our unofficial armchair. Wordlessly, he settled in the chair, putting his bag down by his feet. Our eyes searched the common room and finding no sign of the head of our house, I settled easily onto his lap, crossing one of my legs over the other. With a relieved sigh, Terence propped his chin on my shoulder.

"The closer we get to the end of school, the more I'm thinking about us finally being able to move in together," Terence confessed, paying no heed to the way I shifted slightly at his words. That was still something that I was uncertain about ... especially when I thought about the contract my father had me sign.

Before I could scramble together a response, a pointedly cleared throat had been jumping instantly off Terence's lap. Mortification already started to fill me, knowing just which pair of dark unimpressed eyes were waiting for me. Sure enough, Professor Snape stood over us, eyes narrowed with barely hidden contempt as he apprised us. WOrdlessly, Terence clasped my hand in his, even as he remained seated. Countless rumours circulated through Slytherin house that Professor Snape disliked couples and Salazar, but he certainly made no attempts to combat those rumours.

"Professor?" Terence probed, as the head of our house continued to watch us.

"Please remember your decorum whilst in the common room, Higgs," Snape said before settling his eyes onto me. "Miss Selman, I have something of yours."

Eyebrows furrowed in confusion, I watched as Snape reached into his robe pocket and drew out an envelope which he outstretched towards me. The moment the letter was safely in my hands, Snape walked away without offering even a single explanation. Not that I was certain there could be an even remotely reassuring explanation for why my father was having the head of SLytherin house behaving as a glorified messenger owl. Because the handwriting on the front of the envelope could only belong to my father.

Even as Terence asked quietly if everything was alright, I didn't answer him. My entire focus was on the envelope which I opened with shaking fingers. Drawing out the single piece of parchment, my eyes read over the short message once, then twice. Father was ill - dying, rather; my world came crashing down around me. I had never hated being right more than I did now.

When I continued to stand stock still, without a word, Terence rose to his feet, reading the letter from over my shoulder. He drew me towards him, murmuring soothing words, that I let wash over me. He didn't - he had no way of knowing what this truly meant and I couldn't bring myself to tell him. Helpless, I crumpled the letter in my fist and wrapped my arms around Terence, holding him steady. The burden of being the heir had never felt heavier.

**********

My father had never been a man to give into my whims and desires. He was far from the doting father most daughters wanted. He had never obliged me anything and I certainly never expected him to. And yet, when I was called from the sanctuary of the Hogwarts school grounds to his bedside the moment I'd sat my final example, I had never resented him more. The man lay ailing and dying in his bed and even then, he couldn't find enough affection in his heart for his only trueborn daughter to let me spend the final days of my seventh year with my friends. I was certain that it was his last attempt at exerting control over me rather than an unusually paternal desire to have his child by his bedside as he faced his final days. If that had been the case, he would have called for the rest of my sisters to come back from school. But he hadn't. It was only me that was forced to spend what should have been my final days at school by his bedside. Father was cruel to the very end.

He survived, breathing shakily day in and day out until the school year came to an end and all of his daughters were back under his roof. Only then did he pass, fading from life in his sleep. His passing had certainly been more peaceful than mother's - and that was just the latest addition to a long list of things I resented him for. Even when father's body had been collected and escorted to St Mungos, where the mediwitches and wizards would run the routine tests on him, the women in his life remained. We all kept the silence, no one willing to pierce it.

Slowly, wordlessly, one by one, by sisters slipped out of the room, retreating to experience their own grief in private. It was a strange feeling, grieving a man who didn't deserve it, who I didn't want to grieve. And yet, despite it all, I'd loved my father for the simple fact that he had been my father. Shifting where I sat, I glanced around the room, satisfied that only I and father's mistress remained. Dorothea, rather. How could she be a mistress to a dead man? She was Dorothea; the mother of my sisters, the woman whose very presence was a knife to my mother's heart.

The older woman stood in the corner of the room, the same place she had stood from the moment she'd been summoned by father. She had refused to approach him, even when he beckoned and pleaded for her to be at his side. It was perhaps the only power she'd ever had over him. Realising that my eyes were on her, she straightened up, no doubt wanting to know what would become of her. It was my decision now, it was all my responsibility - and I swore I felt my shoulders already sinking under the weight of it all.

At last, I spoke, piercing the heavy silence that had blanketed the room. "What will you do, Dorothea?"

The older woman startled briefly, uncertainty playing across her features. Briefly, I wondered whether the uncertainty was because, for the first time in countless years, she'd been presented with an open question, where she could make any decision. When the silence lengthened, I sighed and rubbed a tired hand over my face.

Holding her gaze steady, I spoke plainly, "The decision is yours to make. You will be looked after, kept in the same standard of life that you've lived these past years. But you have your freedom. You won't be kept bound here any longer if that's not what you desire."

Dorothea kept her silence for a long moment. I forced myself to watch her, to make my eyes linger on the woman I'd grown so used to looking past. Although she tried to hide it, I caught the way her hands fidgeted in her uncertainty.

Just when I thought she wouldn't say a thing, she breathed out a shuddering breath and spoke faintly, "I owe you an apology Calliope - both you and your mother-"

She trailed off forcefully when I shook my head, just once. I wouldn't listen to it. Even as my eyes filled with tears at the memory of the mother I'd lost at far too young of an age, I blinked them away. I couldn't think of mother, of the woman who whilst pregnant with her only child watched her husband bring his pregnant mistress into the family home. Dorothea was a bejewelled prisoner of my father's but she was also my mother's culprit. She had no right to speak so freely of her.

"It's your choice whether you stay or leave," I reaffirmed, speaking before I could lose myself in the ever-fading memories I had of my mother, "But if you want to take any of the girls with you ... as the new head of the household that decision is mine. If you want to take them with you, and they want to go, I'll let them."

Dorothea didn't think for long before she answered, "I'll pack my things and get ready to leave."

The older woman turned to leave, but it was my voice that halted her before she could cross the threshold of the room, "Your daughters? What about them?"

She didn't have the courtesy of looking at me as she said, "They can stay here."

Dorothea left the room without another word. Finally left alone, I dropped my head into my hands and tried not to feel sorry for my sisters who were being abandoned by their birth mother. But it was futile. My heart cried out for them, for the abandonment they were sure to feel when they realised that she didn't want them. I wouldn't be surprised if she saw them as reminders of my father, reminders she had been forced to carry. It was no secret that she'd wanted no children.

Closing my eyes, I dug the heel of my palms into my eyes, trying to press away the dull thudding ache that took up residence behind them. There was so much left to do, but I wanted a brief fleeting moment of peace. It was too much to ask for.

The door to father's bedroom - what used to be his bedroom - was thrown open, hitting the wall so hard that my head snapped up. Turning to look at the door, my eyes settled on Clio who stood there with tense shoulders, jaw clenched and demanding attention. Straightening my shoulders, I prepared myself for the inevitable confrontation. Clio, a girl who had been brought into the world mere months after myself, assessed me with eyes that spat out fire.

"Clio," I addressed my sister.

"How could you?" she demanded without preamble, coming into the room. I was thankful that she shut the door behind her, not wanting any of our other sisters to hear the squabble that was sure to follow. We squabbled more often than I liked; father had always referred to our squabbles as heated discussions between his 'heir' and his 'spare'. Even when I thought about the unpleasant encounters with my father, it still pricked at my heart. Why did I grieve a man who didn't deserve it?

"How could I?" I repeated, struggling not to sigh. I was so tired and Salazar, all I wanted was Terence. Terence who had come to my side as soon as I could, who stayed by my side until I was forced to send him away. The more time I spent with him, the harder it all was.

"How could you dismiss my mother?" Clio demanded, voice sharp and flinty. "This is her home and you have the audacity to throw her out?"

"I didn't throw her out and you know it." Standing at last from my seat, I stood tall under her narrow eyes. Despite how hard she protest otherwise, I could always read Clio. I'd grown up at her side. "I'm sure if you ask Dorothea she'll tell you the same. I asked her what she wanted and she wanted to leave."

"You expect me to believe she wanted to leave us behind? Just because you've been put in charge don't think it means-"

"Stop it," I said firm. Crossing the space between us, I reached for Clio's hands, holding them steady even when she tried to protest. "Clio, come on. I know you. Why are you picking a fight with me?"

"I am not picking a fight," she said, self-righteous. She flung my hands away from her. "I am being cautious and demanding what is rightfully mine, rightfully ours. Now's your chance to take advantage of being his only true-born child, and I refuse to stay here and let my sisters stay here, relying on you, someone who's not even family, who'll be prepared to get rid of us whenever you see fit."

Breathing out harshly, I struggled to regain my calm. My entire life - all I had been raised to do was to look after them, to tend to them so how could she even assume that -

"You're trying to goad me on purpose, but it won't work." My voice shook slightly as I spoke, but I forced myself to carry on anyway. "You are my sister, you always have been and you will always have the protection of - of the head of the household. But you're an adult and if you decide to go, then that's your decision. I'll make sure that everyone is sorted for you before you leave."

Clio shifted slightly on her feet as if not expecting my words. She drew in a long breath, but I didn't let her speak.

"But the rest of our sisters are to stay. They're not of age yet and when they become adults and can make the decision for themselves if they want to leave then they can. I won't hold anyone hostage. Just know that you are - my sister, you all are my sisters and I will look after you all. You won't have to worry about being cast aside, ever."

"I-" Clio averted her suspiciously waterfilled eyes from mine. "Does it ever grow too much? Having to be the responsible one, the one to carry the burdens?"

Through a tight throat, I admitted, "It's all he'd ever raised me to be."

"I think I'd like to say," Clio said eventually, "with my sisters. With all of my sister."

I nodded, just once, swallowing down the lump in my throat. She turned and left without another word. Left alone once more, my eyes drifted to the bed where father had laid not so long ago. He had spent countless hours drilling into my head my responsibilities, and the things I would need to do, but he'd never once prepared me for how suffocating it would feel to stand under the pressure. I did the only thing I knew to do when I struggled; I wrote to Terence

Terence, like I knew he would like I hoped he would, didn't keep me waiting long. He arrived in the middle of the night, floo'ing into our family home so soon that I was certain that he'd set off as soon as he'd read the letter. Still, he did arrive, tumbling out of the fireplace whilst dressed in his pyjamas. Not that he cared. His eyes, wide and searching, scanned the room, finding me curled up on the nearest sofa.

Wordlessly, he crossed the distance between us, taking his seat at my side. Terence angled his body towards me, looking like he wanted nothing more than to take me into his arms. Salazar, I wanted that. But, the more I caved and gave into my every whim, the harder it would be to end it all. And it would have to end, regardless of how desperately I didn't want it to. Before I could cave and close the space between us, before I could clamber into his lap, wrapping my arms and my legs around him and clinging to him, I snagged a cushion. I settled for cradling the cushion in my arms, propping my chin on it.

"What are you doing here?" I asked quietly, careful to keep my voice down in case my sisters were asleep. When I'd checked in on them, not that long ago, they had corralled themselves into a few of the bedrooms, choosing to share beds to keep themselves close to each other.

Terence gave me a meaningful look as if I should have known the answer to my question. And I did know the answer. "You wrote me saying that your father died Cali, of course, I'm going to come to keep you company and to help you grieve."

Salazar, it had been a really bad idea to reach out to him. I should have bared my teeth, forcing the urge down instead of writing to him. And yet, I'd caved, and I'd made it all the more difficult for myself.

Sighing slightly, I tightened my hold on the cushion, my nails aching slightly from the force of my grasp. Still, I forced myself to speak, keeping my eyes lowered, "You didn't need to come here, Terence. You've probably been really busy with your training programme starting up."

There was a lingering silence, one that had me peeking up slightly from beneath my lashes. Terence's eyes were heavy as he assessed me, brows furrowed slightly. His hands, resting on his knees flexed for a moment and I wondered briefly if he too was fighting against the urge to reach out. "Did you not want me to come?"

I couldn't answer that; I couldn't give him the truth and he would be able to see through any lie I spoke. Instead, I settled for, "You need to rest."

"Do you think I'm stupid?" He punctuated his question by tilting his head towards mine as if it would help him read my features better. Holding his eyes steady, I greedily drank in his gaze; who knew how much longer I would be able to watch him from so close? "I can see you're struggling."

"I'm not." The words came out far weaker than I'd wanted them to.

Terence took the opportunity. He closed the space between us, sliding closer on the sofa so our knees touched when he shifted his position, sitting cross-legged like I was. Reaching out determinedly, he eased my stranglehold on the cushion and set it aside. Holding my hands steadily in both of his, Terence rubbed his thumbs over my knuckles. Unable to hold his eyes, I looked down. Not that he let me go far.

Terence lowered his head so he could hold my gaze. "Come on Cali, talk to me. Let me in. Tell me what's going on in that beautiful brain of yours."

I shook my head. I couldn't; I couldn't tell him. There was so much I needed to tell him, that needed to be addressed. But I couldn't. It would be easier for the both of us, kinder for us both if I said it now. If only I could summon the bravery to do it. How could I? How could I look into those magnificent eyes, eyes that had always promised security, and tell him that we couldn't marry as we'd always planned to? How could I look into the face of the man who'd promised me the dream future I'd always wanted, and ask him to wait at least 7 years until Polly was eighteen and was a legal adult? Until she no longer needed me? If that would ever be the case. The wizarding world was not kind to squibs and without the protection of the Selman name, how would she fare?

Unwilling to say anything, I took my hands away from Terence who briefly let the disappointment flicker across his features. It soon disappeared when I clambered easily into his lap like I'd wanted to do from the moment he'd sat down. Winding my arms around his neck and locking my legs around his waist, I burrowed my nose into the crook of his neck. Drawing in his always calming scent, I tried to match my breathing to his. Wordlessly, Terence slipped his hands under my jumper - originally his - and rubbed soothingly up and down my back.

"I'm not going anywhere," Terence assured me, speaking the words into my shoulder as he rocked us gently side to side. "I'll be here through it all. So don't worry about needing to do things by yourself, okay?"

"Okay," I mumbled faintly against his neck.

Closing my eyes, I burrowed my head against his skin. If Terence felt the heat of my tears against his skin, he didn't say a word about it. Instead, he just continued to rock me gently, lulling me through my tears.

**********

Terence kept his word. Over the short weeks of preparing for father's funeral, he proved himself worthy of being the head of a household, of being ready to someday become the head of his father's household. He carried the pureblood name easily, like the son father always wanted. Without needing to be asked, he helped me navigate the various hurdles I had to jump over to make sure father was put to rest. It was Terence who communicated with the funeral home, and the bank and it was even Terence who smoothed the bumps that appeared in the relationships all of us Selman sisters shared as we navigated through our grief.

Even now, with father's funeral finally upon us, it was Terence who greeted the guests and well-wishers who sent their condolences. He did it all without a complaint, standing as the unofficial eldest son of our family, and perhaps that was part of his role as someone who was supposed to become the eldest son-in-law. Terence handled it all, letting us grieve in our own way. He stood at my side, as my rock, as I watched father be buried beside my mother - despite my fervent protests - just as he'd outlined in his will. It appeared that even in death, he'd terrorise her.

Once the funeral was dealt with, and the guests had all left out home, only Terence remained. He stood to the side, watching as my sisters gathered around me, talking between themselves. Sitting with Mellie and Rania on either side of me, I tried to pay attention to what they were talking about, but it was difficult to do when all my focus was on the boy standing with his arms crossed over his chest, almost as if he was made responsible for keeping us all stable. I wouldn't have been surprised if he'd assigned himself that role; I'd lost track of the number of times I'd seen Polly burrow her tears into the fabric of his shirt or the way he'd wind a soothing arm around whichever of my sisters needed support. As if feeling my eyes on him, Terence looked towards me, his gaze locked onto mine; I was quick to look away.

"Can you believe it?" Euta's voice pierced through my thoughts, "Forget not coming for father, but how could she not even come to see us?"

I didn't need to ask who she was referring to; my sisters had kept a watchful eye out for their mother, hoping she would turn up to father's funeral. They would rarely say the words aloud, probably because of a misguided attempt to protect me, but they missed their mother. The mother who had never really shown much interest in her daughters whilst she'd lived in our home and certainly hadn't shown any interest in them once she'd left.

Before they could linger in those thoughts and the feelings of inadequacy that were sure to follow, I insisted, "It's been a long day, we've all been up since the early morning. Why don't you all go and rest?"

It seemed like they would protest as if to insist that they didn't need to rest. But Clio, shooting me a reassuring look, cut in, "Come on. Thalia, you out of all of us need to rest."

My sisters knowing that whilst they might have been able to argue with me, knew better than to argue against Clio. Thalia was the first to stand, smiling gratefully at Era who linked their arms together and they both headed upstairs. Slowly my sisters left the front room, retreating to other parts of the house and, for the first time all day, I was left alone with Terence. Terence whose eyes were still lingering on me, who was looking at me like he knew something was very wrong. Terence who I loved more than I had ever loved anyone else and who I was trying my hardest to be kind to. Because it was kinder to release him if I couldn't give him what he wanted.

I spoke first, shattering the tentative silence that stretched between us. "Terence, could we have a chat?"

"Of course." He sounded wary.

We didn't exchange another word as I started walking towards father's study, knowing he would follow me. Sure enough, Terence fell into step behind me, matching his paces with mine. And when we reached the room and I rounded the desk, putting it between us as a much-needed obstacle, he shut the door behind him. Did the click of the door sound as final to him as it did to me?

Terence, unusually quiet, held his silence. Even when I avoided his eyes, my own gaze falling to my fidgeting hands, he didn't tease me like he normally would have. Drawing in a slow breath, I watched my fingers fiddle with the ring. Silently I berated myself, reminding myself that I was doing this to be kind, to treat him as he deserved, I lifted my head. Only this time, Terence was the one not meeting my eyes, his own stare was fixated on my ring.

"Terence," I said quietly, hating the way my voice warbled when I spoke his name.

He crossed the space between us with quick steps, jaw set into a harsh line. Outstretching a hand, he covered mine easily, halting my motion; it was almost like he knew. His eyes were an earnest plea, silently asking me not to do it. But I pushed myself forward. Slipping my hand out from under his, I slipped the ring off of my finger and held it out to him.

"What are you doing?" he asked, refusing to take the ring from me.

"Terence please." My voice still lacked strength as I held the ring insistently out for him to take. This would all be so much easier if he just accepted it from me. But he didn't oblige me on that.

"Calliope," he said, my name laced with steel. Even still, his eyes were soft as he searched mine. "What are you doing?"

"I'm sorry," it came out as a whisper, my eyes beginning to fill with tears. I tried to blink them away but it was useless. "I - we can't, and I'm so so sorry."

Despite my best attempts to stop it, a tear slipped down my cheek. I reached up to wipe it away but he beat me to it. Cradling my face in between his warm hands, Terence's thumbs traced the path of my tears that I was helpless to stop. Tilting my face towards his, he leaned forward and rested his forehead against mine. I struggled not to falter, not to give in and close my eyes so I could just let myself seek shelter in him.

"I'm so sorry," I said again, "but I can't. I'm so so sorry, Terence. He had me promise and sign a contract that I'd look after my sisters and be the head of the household. And you know that I can't marry you and be the head at the same time."

His eyebrows furrowed as he searched my face, "What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean," I said quietly, sniffling a little. "Even when she's 18, Polly will still need me and I can't bind myself to you."

The admission, one I hated to make, lingered between the pair of us as Terence wiped the last of my tears from my face. He searched my features for a long moment that appeared to stretch out between us. And I knew, without needing to ask, that his brain was ticking over, trying to find some solution to this all, one that would have us bound together but would keep my sisters sheltered under the Selman house name. But there was none; I was the only true-blooded Selman and the moment I bound myself to him, to the shared life we would have together, gone was the protection of our name. He knew I couldn't forsake them.

He spoke with a sad smile, "You'll look after them with your life, won't you? Salazar, you'd make your father proud."

I tried to close my eyes against the truth of it all, but it was the truth. The only way to have ever make him proud was -

"Why did he never want me?" the question broke free before I could stop it. Just like that, I was sobbing once more, "Why was I never good enough?"

Terence cradled me close then, one hand protectively nudging my head into the crook of his neck. I clung to him, fisting his robes to hold him tight as I blubbered out useless apologies into his shoulder.

"Your father was a fool of a man. Don't cry for him."

Except, I wasn't sure if I was crying for him, or if the grief I'd felt had even been for him. My heart was screaming out at the truth; yes, I was shedding tears for my father, I was grieving him but most of my tears, my grief was for the future I'd never have with Terence. How did you cope without the one person who'd always held you close?

**********

In the short few months that passed, each somehow managing to blur into the next with nothing to distinguish one day from another, I settled into my new life as the head of the household. I'd tried at first to remember what father had drilled into me about what being responsible for others meant, only to realise that I didn't want to follow his definition of responsible. Father had been one to shirk his responsibilities and I wouldn't do the same. I had given up so much for this family, I'd given up all I'd ever wanted for this family and I would make sure to look after them all. Even if I buckled under the weight of it.

The sound of a distant cough drew me from my thoughts. Wordlessly, I reached out to the girl sitting at my side and put my hand on top of hers, halting Thalia's anxiously fidgeting fingers. My sister, feeling guilty at being caught making a mess of the skin at her fingertips, offered me a soft, bashful smile.

Thalia leaned towards me, casting a glance around the waiting room of St Mungo's blood curse department and lowered her voice so I alone could hear her words, "You really don't have to do this, Cali."

"Come on Thalia," I said, squeezing her hand reassuringly.

Over the years, the almost decade of these appointments she had said the same thing every time and I'd protested her words every time. But I didn't have it in me to do it today. I didn't have it in me to follow the unspoken routine we'd fallen into of me convincing her that giving her my blood wasn't a hassle - because it wasn't, but I just had a million other tasks swirling through my head. Instead, I just settled for offering her a pointed look which worked well. Thalia shuffled towards me, propping her head on my shoulder and I gently set mine on top. Silently, I patted the back of her hand, hoping it reassured her but I wasn't so sure it worked.

No doubt Thalia's mind was racing. Thalia whose full-blooded sisters were all born weaker than the one before them culminating in Thalia, who was born weak-blooded and then finally, in Polly who was born without magic. It was the curse of infidelity in the Selman house, of breaking marriage vows, not that it prevented father from doing what he did.

"I'm sorry I'm being a pain," she mumbled quietly.

"Thalia, you're not a pain," I spoke firmly, knowing it was the only way that would truly get through to her. "Listen to me, if giving you my blood once every 6 weeks keeps your strength up, then I'm going to do it. You're my sister, my responsibility."

"Still-"

"Thalia." She lifted her hesitant eyes towards mine, holding them steady. "Your health is the priority, okay? Besides, I'm the one that's supposed to worry, not you."

"I'm sorry." It was another whispered admission. One that I didn't have time to contest when Thalia's name was finally called.

Taking her hand back, Thalia stood and I followed. Gesturing her forward, I followed her as we walked the familiar path to Healer Folly's office. Once inside, I shut the door behind us and greeted Healer Folly who was already standing beside two examination tables. The older man returned the greeting, offering Thalia some reassuring words when she clambered onto the table nearest to him.

While my sister spoke to her healer, I took my time to set my bag aside and rolled the sleeves of my jumper up until it was my turn to settle comfortably on the other table. Stretching my legs out in front of me, I crossed them at the ankle and made myself comfortable. I let my mind wander back to the seemingly endless list of things I needed to do as I distantly listened to Thalia's conversation with her healer. This time it was the unexpected sound of a knock on the door that breached my thoughts.

"Come in," Healer Folly called out, and we all turned expectantly to look at the door which slowly opened and a man, draped in the white robes of a trainee healer and looking all parts like a vision from my most wonderful dreams, walked into the room.

Terence, whose eyes had instantly settled on Healer Folly, shifted his attention to his patient - Thalia - and then his attention shifted again, focused intently on me. I braced myself, uncertain of how he'd react to seeing me for the first time in months; I wasn't certain what reaction I'd want him to have either. He had none, his face the picture of polite indifference and I hoped my face was the same. I hoped that no casual observer would be able to read into the dozens of silent questions we asked each other in that long moment of eye contact.

"I hope you don't mind," Healer Folly started, shattering our moment and bringing all focus back to him. He addressed his words to me, "This is Trainee Healer Higgs, and he's currently on his blood disease placement. Would he be able to assist us today?"

It wasn't my decision to make. I glanced at my sister who was beaming warmly at Terence; at least she could make it obvious enough for the boy of us how much we'd missed him. "Thalia? Is that okay?"

"Of course." For the first time since coming into St Mungos, she appeared relieved.

"If Thalia's alright with it," I said eventually.

Healer Folly nodded decisively and gestured Terence to his side. "Perfect. Let's begin."

I wanted my attention to wander again, to retreat once more to my to-do list. But, it wouldn't. It couldn't seem to do anything more than linger and focus on Terence who nodded at whatever Healer Folly was saying to him. I had tried so hard to keep away from him, I battled against everything inside me that wanted to reach out to him to keep my distance. Every waking minute was a struggle to stop myself from seeking out the one person that made me feel whole and now, here he was, looking at every part of the Trainee Healer I knew he'd become. He looked like a dream, he always had. Only now, he was an unattainable dream.

When Terence's head turned towards me, finding my waiting eyes, I couldn't bring myself to look away from him. Instead, I held his eyes, watching every step he took until he came to my side.

"How are you?" he asked the question under his breath as he started to run the diagnostic tests required before we could start the process of drawing out my blood.

His eyes were intent on mine. I tried to give him a reassuring smile, but I was certain from his expression that I'd failed. "I'm good."

"Come on, Calliope." I shifted at the sound of him saying my name. When I said nothing and just focused on the way his wand moved as he ran the tests, Terence sighed. But, he said nothing.

I gathered my hands in my lap, staring at them as Terence continued to run the tests. My hands were clutched together so tight as I tried to fight against the urge to reach out and grab his hand. I wanted, more than anything, to feel the touch of his skin against mine. But I couldn't go there again. We'd already come this far and it was all for the best.

"Terence?" Healer Folly called out, "Is everything clear?"

Terence briefly consulted the parchment he'd been scribbling down results on before nodding, just once. Despite the deep furrow in between his brows, he said, "All clear, we can start extracting blood for the transfer."

As Healer Folly started to prepare the equipment needed to start the next steps, Terence lingered at my side. He considered the results again, before lifting his head. His eyes searched my features and before I could ask what was wrong, what he wasn't telling me, he spoke.

Terence's words were a concerned murmur, sounding more like the other part of my heart than he did my healer, "You're not sleeping enough. Are you having nightmares, Cali?"

Was it a nightmare if it was the reality of a life without him? Not that I could say that aloud. Instead, I said a quiet, "No, Trainee Healer Higgs."

He accepted my answer with a terse nod, his expression flickering and then icing over at the way I'd addressed him. I wanted to apologise, but I didn't. Instead, I turned to look at Thalia, prepared to offer her a reassuring smile. But she was already looking at me, having caught our interaction and she gave me a disappointed shake of her head.

**********

Despite the years I'd been groomed for this role, and always knowing that in some capacity, the burden of my family would fall heavily onto my shoulders, it still felt suffocating. Every moment where I ran around tying up all the loose fraying ends of the family estate father hadn't cared to sort out, and between all the guardian responsibilities for my sisters, there was no time to catch my breath. If I wasn't speaking to solicitors, trying to make some sense of the legal jargon, I was rushing to Hogwarts, trying to sort out some of the mess one of my sisters had inevitably gotten into, or I was at the Ministry, needed to sort out some obscure task that I hadn't even considered needing to do.

It was Gringotts today that was occupying a fair chunk of my day. To my horror, I'd discovered that father had never seen fit to set up a vault for each of his daughters, only a single Selman family vault which, as the only true-born Selman, I could access. And now, I was left with the monumental administrative task of setting up vaults for each of my sisters to give them financial freedom - once they were mature enough to manage it, of course.

Searching the pile of documents in front of me, I briefly stepped aside, letting the pair of older witches walk out of the bank and into the busy street. I checked the documents for what must have been the twentieth time since I'd woken up; the last thing I needed was to have missed a document after having spent countless hours filling out all the paperwork. Satisfied, and silently promising myself that I wouldn't look at them before it was time for my scheduled appointment, I headed into the bank.

Gringotts teemed with activity, the way it always seemed to do and I tried not to frown. My eyes darted to the clock; my appointment was in ten minutes. I searched the room, looking for somewhere to stand without getting in the way and had the most horrendous luck when my eyes locked onto familiar ones. Those eyes had always been so friendly but now, now they were narrowed with disapproval. Mr Higgs' gaze was too heavy to hold.

I hurried to avert my eyes from the man who, in another lifetime, in a better lifetime, would have become my father-in-law. Not that they went far. All too easily, my eyes locked onto Terence, drinking him in greedily as he stood at his father's side. Terence whose eyes had always had the most calming presence on me, whose steady, earnest gaze had always been able to cut through whatever anxiety was coursing through me. My feet were desperate to carry me towards him, my hands desperate to reach out to him, to hold him close, to let him hold me close and make everything okay. But, that was a lifetime ago now. Now, I had to keep my feet planted firmly. I had to stay where I was and he had to stay there, away from me.

Not that both members of the Higgs family agreed with the sentiment. Mr Higgs started walking with measured steps, closing the distance between us and Terence was quick to follow. From the steady set of his shoulders, I knew he was prepared to step in, lest his father say something he shouldn't have. From Mr Higgs' burdensome eyes alone, I knew he had a lot to say. My hands fisted at my side in preparation, creasing the documents I still held. I was quick to ease my hold, trying to smooth out the creases and looking at the parchment as if it was the most important thing in the world. It at least gave me something to do, to stop me from fleeing, like everything inside me was screaming to do.

"Calliope," Mr Higgs greeted, my name coated in ice when both he and his son came to a still in front of me.

"Mr Higgs." Finding my voice, I returned the greeting. I couldn't bring myself to look at Terence when I addressed him, "Terence."

"Cali." Terence's voice was gentle, and yet I felt like it had struck somewhere deep inside me. It ignited in me a desire to plead with him to forget that I'd ever torn us apart, but I forced it down. I'd become better at doing that and hopefully, with continued practice, it would take less and less effort to quash the desire because Salazar only knew that I was certain I would always always want him. "How have you been?"

I risked a glance towards him, rationalising to myself that it was only because I wanted to be polite, and not because it had been weeks since I'd been this close to him. Offering him a wan smile, I managed, "Busy, I've been really busy."

"Yes, I imagine that would be the case," Mr Higgs cut in sharply, drawing my eyes away from his son. It was evident that, unlike Terence, he held no lingering affection for me, "Especially given the new responsibilities on your shoulders. But I suppose now is the time for you to learn, both how to navigate them, but also how ill-equipped you are, and how bad of a decision you made for yourself. You never struck me as one of those women who didn't know what was good for you."

I recoiled as if those words had physically hit me, drawing back a short step. Forcing myself to hold my tongue, I reminded myself that this was Terence's father. In that moment I might have wanted to remind him just how sharp my tongue was, but I didn't. He was the father of the man I loved.

The man who, hearing his father's words, had turned his narrow-eyed stare onto his father with a sharp cry of, "Father! That's not fair."

Mr Higgs' turned his eyes to his son, arching an imperious eyebrow. Still, he didn't seem apologetic in the least, "Some people need to hear the truth."

"It's far from the truth and you know it! Apologise to her."

Glancing apprehensively between both father and son, I reached out to put a steadying hand on Terence's arm. I stopped myself short of making contact, even as I said, "Terence, it's okay."

"It's not!" He turned his heated eyes onto me, briefly looking at my still outstretched hand before focusing once more on his father, "You must apologise."

"You lovestruck fool," his father despaired with a sigh.

He left without another word, returning to his previous position across the room. Left alone with Terence, I was once more confrontation with two warring urges; to both throw myself into his arms which I knew would hold me, or to run away from him. I knew which one I wanted to do and yet it would be the most unhelpful.

"I'm sorry," Terence said with a sigh. Briefly, just briefly, he clenched his jaw, "My father shouldn't have spoken to you like that."

"It's alright," I managed with a slight shrug. I tried to smile, wanting to shake off the last of the hurt. But it was difficult. For all the years I'd been with Terence, I'd thought his father had liked me and yet, perhaps that had only been because of who I was - or who I would become - to his son. "I'm sure there's some truth to his words."

"Calliope," he said my name with a sigh.

When Terence fixed his eyes more firmly on me, I risked another glance at the clock. I wanted the accountant to appear, to say it was time for our meeting if only so I didn't have to talk to Terence one-on-one. It had been months since we'd spoken in private and I had so much I wanted to say to him, so much I probably shouldn't say to him. Months on and the ache of separation was still as raw as it had been on the day.

Likely knowing that I wouldn't speak first, Terence asked, "How are you?"

Needing something to do to keep my hands busy, to stop myself from reaching for him again, I held the stack of documents securely, cradling them against my chest with both arms. I offered him my most convincing smile, "I've got so much I need to get done that the days never seem long enough. I'm supposed to be setting up individual vaults for my sisters today."

He didn't respond straight away, giving me a long look. My smile faltered the deeper the silence grew. Terence breathed out through his nose, before tucking both of his hands into his pockets. Was he also keeping his hands busy? Fighting the urge to reach out for me? I forced the questions away.

Eventually, he spoke softly, "That wasn't what I asked you Cali; how are you?"

I missed him, that's how I was. I was missing him with every breath I took in and yet when I breathed out, he was all that remained in my empty lungs. That was the truth and it was the only answer to that question. But I was saved from having to answer him when my name was called out from somewhere behind me; it was time for my appointment.

Offering Terence an apologetic smile, I turned to leave. He reached for me, easily cradling my wrist in his warm hand. I drew in a sharp breath; how could his touch make me ache even more for him?

"Terence?" I glanced questioningly at him.

"Can we meet? When you've got some time?" He searched my face, waiting for an answer.

I knew the answer I should have given him; the only answer that would've made sense was a refusal. And yet, when he called my name again, I could only nod. Just once. Once wouldn't hurt.

**********

Despite knowing better, and despite knowing that it would only make things even more difficult in the long run, I'd agreed to meet up with Terence. And yet, with each passing moment when I had time to myself, my brain would flicker back to him, to the unwise decision to see him again. No matter how much I tried to rationalise it, telling myself that this would be my final opportunity to ease the chasm between us, to at least keep him in my life as a friend - because I knew a life without him even as a friend would be torture - I knew it was stupid. It was so incredibly stupid. The truth of it all, which I desperately didn't want to acknowledge, was that spending time on my own with him would only make it all the more unbearable when I had to walk away again.

A clean break would've been far better. Yet, I couldn't do it. I didn't think Terence was able to do it either. Today was proof enough of that. Not only had he asked to meet, but he'd been the one to pick the location. I highly doubted that it was a coincidence that he'd chosen this particular coffee shop, the one we'd spend entire afternoons hiding away in, during the school breaks. It was our place.

Hesitating outside of the coffee shop, I let my eyes flicker shut only briefly, drawing in a deep breath through my nose. Forcefully opening my eyes again, I pressed my palm to the door, warring against the urge to turn and flee. This wasn't wise, but it would also be difficult. It would be so, unbearably difficult to walk into the shop, head to the table where I knew he'd be sitting and not take my usual seat at his side, waiting for the steady reassuring weight of his arm over my shoulder.

It was too late to change my mind.

Pushing myself forward, I dismissed the knowledge that today would only make it all the more difficult to walk away from him, that it was selfish of me to cave into my desire to spend time with Terence, I pushed open the door of the coffee shop. I didn't stand in the doorway, I didn't need to search the room to see if Terence was there; I knew he was here, and I knew exactly where he would be sitting. Terence always arrived early, never wanting to keep me waiting.

Adjusting my bag on my shoulder, I clutched the handle as if it would keep me steady and walked towards our table. Or rather, what used to be our table. Hastily, I pushed that thought away again, as I weaved through the occupied tables, and made a direct beeline for Terence. Sure enough, there he was sitting, looking as wonderful as he always had. Salazar, I was sure he was the only boy who would ever have the ability to ease the tight band of responsibility that curled around my lungs. His eyes found me instantly, locking unwaveringly onto mine. Then, when I drew close enough, he raised a hesitant high to wave at me, a small smile on his face. I returned the gesture just as hesitantly; it all felt unnatural. History dictated that he would have risen from his chair at the sight of me, met me halfway on my journey and cradled me right away into the tender security of his arms.

But this was good, this was better. This was how it had to be.

He eventually stood when I drew close enough. But, he hesitated once more, catching himself partway through the motion of pulling out the chair nearest to him. His eyes, uncertain and probing, flickered back to mine, waiting. It would have been effortless to accept the gesture, to take my rightful seat at his side, and accept the comfort of his arm draped over my shoulder, with his fingers rubbing softly at the top of my arm. But I had to be strong.

Finding my silent answer, Terence pulled out the chair that was direct across from his and gestured for me to take a seat. He looked reluctant to return his hand to his side, but when I went to sit, he forcefully closed his open hand and tucked it at his side. Did he also war against the urge to seek contact?

"Thank you," I said with a soft smile.

"Nothing to thank me for," he insisted, tucking my chair in for me before he returned to his seat.

His eyes, heavy in their appraisal, locked onto mine again. They were far too open, too honest, to be held for long. Clearing my throat, I reached for the menu and began to read it as if I didn't already know it by heart. Terence drummed his fingertips on the tabletop, the sound making me peer up at him from under my lashes. He continued to watch me, his head propped up one hand. He really hid nothing, not even the fact that he was looking at me as if believing this would be the last chance he ever got to do it.

"How are you?" My question stopped his tapping as if he hadn't expected me to be the one to breach the silence.

"Busy," he conceded with a sigh. Terence straightened in his seat, and rolled his shoulders as he admitted, "Training to become a Healer is a lot more hectic than I thought it would be."

"I can imagine. But I know you'll be a very capable healer."

Terence accepted my words with a thankful smile. But he didn't respond to them. Instead, his hands lowered to the table, watching his own hands which were outstretched in front of him, now resting mere centimetres from mine. If he wanted to, he could've easily extended his fingers and linked them through mine. But he didn't.

When he spoke next, his words were quiet and would've been easily lost in the chatter of the busy shop. I could have certainly pretended that I hadn't heard them. But I had. "This is still unbearable for me. Is it the same for you?"

I didn't need to ask him what he was talking about; it was all too obvious. And my answer was all too obvious, at least to myself. It was utter hell to be separated from Terence after having spent years growing up at his side. We had grown together, Terence and I, growing around one another, always complementary and matching in our development. It certainly felt like I'd been left without half of myself. Only, I couldn't verbalise that. It would only make it so much harder.

Terence gave a heavy sigh. "I know it's hard for you, the same way it's hard for me. But why can't you say that to me?"

I allowed myself a small moment of weakness, if only for half of my heart that sat across from me. "I'm used to holding it all in. I can't let anyone know it's hard Terence - all of it. If I do that, then what good am I?"

Holding the silence, Terence's eyes softened before my own. He didn't look away. Eventually, as if he knew my throat had grown tight at the admission, Terence nodded before he finally acted. His fingers, sure and ever reassuring, reached out to wind themselves through mine. Unbidden, my eyes flickered shut and I drew in a breath; it was the most secure I'd felt in months.

**********

Nighttime was always the hardest part. When there was no appointment to attend, and when I couldn't see to one of the hundreds of tasks I had left to tackle to salvage the fractured remains of my family, it was the hardest. My mind, no longer kept busy was forced to confront the most prominent thought that always lingered, no matter how adamantly I dismissed it; because it was the truth. I missed Terence, with every agonised beat of my heart, I missed him and I loved him. So earnestly, and wholeheartedly that I had to be strong for the pair of us. It would only make it harder if I caved, and yet I had caved. And sure enough, it did make it harder. But this was the life I lived the one that had been carved out with my sisters in the centre of it. As they always should've been.

Blowing out a sharp breath, I forced my eyes open in the dark of my bedroom. Nighttime was the hardest. It was at nighttime when the thoughts grew louder until they screamed out, demanding to be heard. Even the most selfish voice lamented at the injustice of not being able to live a life that was my own.

"Salazar," I cursed into the still silence, bringing my hands to my face. My palms muffled the sound of my groans.

Forcefully dropping my hands back to my lap, I gathered myself in the way I seemed to do every night when my thoughts wandered. Clambering out of bed, I decided to begin cleaning away some of the clutter that littered my bedroom. It was always my least favourite task to do, and have fallen right to the bottom of my priorities, but right now I would take cleaning my bedroom over letting myself fall back into that pit of self-loathing. I made light work of the knick-knacks that littered my vanity before searching the room for my next target.

It would have to be the bed. Or rather, all the things I'd shoved into storage boxes that I stashed under the bed. Salazar's soul, I had to be desperate to want to go through the place I shoved everything. Still, I sunk to my knees beside my bed and drew out the first of the multiple storage containers and sorted through the contents, making a pile of things that I would get rid of when it was daytime. Pushing the container under my bed once again, I reached blindly for the next one, dragging it out. Once I saw what it was, I wished I hadn't done it. How could I expect my mind to be distracted when my hands had - completely accidentally - reached for the box where I'd stashed every memento of my relationship with Terence? I hadn't been able to bring myself to get rid of anything.

The smart thing would've been to push the box back so it was out of sight. But I wasn't smart, especially when the sunset, I seemed to lose the ability to rationalise anything. That had to be the only explanation because why else was I opening the box that I knew would only bring me more pain? My fingers, acting without command, lifted the latch and opened the lid. I shuffled closer to the box, peering inside at everything I'd gathered throughout our long relationship. My eyes settled instantly on the preserved flowers I'd banded together with a spare ribbon; I'd made sure to save one flower from every bouquet he'd ever gotten me.

Tracing a soft fingertip over one of the petals, I tried to push the memories away. But sure enough, they rose to the forefront of my mind, demanding to be noticed, to be lived. And who was I to disobey?

The common room was practically deserted. Most of my housemates had already headed up to bed, and Salazar knew that I'd wanted nothing more than to follow them up to bed and to go to sleep. But I couldn't. Not yet anyway. Not until I'd finished the first draft of my essay. Reaching the end of my sentence, I rubbed a tired hand over my face; if third year was causing me this much stress, what would the rest of my time at school be like?

"Come on," Terence's voice cut through the silence of the common room, drawing my attention from the essay.

I lifted my head, glancing at him with tired eyes. He was the only other occupant of the common room, and I was fairly certain he'd only done it to keep me company. Sometimes I wondered if the boy had been wrongly sorted into Slytherin, he certainly had the loyalty of the lions. But maybe that loyalty had something to do with the ... feelings he'd only recently told me about. Even just thinking about the casual declaration had heat rushing to my face; I hurried to duck my head.

"Go to bed," I grumbled, fiddling with my quill as if I was trying to think of what to write. But the truth was that I was trying to look busy, so I didn't have to look up at the boy who I was certain had switched into the seat nearest to mine, just so he could look at me better. "You're going to complain when you're tired in the morning and I can't be bothered to deal with that."

Terence scoffed, knocking his shoe against mine, "Liar. You love dealing with me."

I shot him a look, "You're making it impossible to concentrate."

"I'm glad you find me so distracting." His teasing smile grew impossibly wider before it softened. He gestured to my essay which, despite its length, was nowhere near being complete, "Remind me again why you're trying so hard on a Transfiguration essay?"

"You know what my father's like," I said and that was all the explanation he needed. Terence sighed at my words but said nothing when I put my quill down again. "He wants me to make sure I do well and I - I don't want to embarrass him."

A frown, uncharacteristic and so out of place on Terence's face, was directed at me. He sounded no part apologetic as he announced, "Your father is a twat."

Silently, I agreed with him. My father was a twat, for so so many reasons; for making my mother suffer, for making his mistress suffer, for making his daughters suffer. My father lived to make all the women in his life suffer and I was just an unfortunate example.

"Hey, it's not all bad," Terence said as if to reassure me. When I shot him a disbelieving look, he nodded insistently. "Your father did one good thing."

"Oh yeah? And what's that then?" I tried not to scoff. Instead, I watched as Terence made a silent motion, gesturing between the pair of us. That was all I needed. Taken aback and suddenly more hesitant than I'd been all night, I asked, "You know?"

"My parents told me over the holidays." He scowled at me, and I would have fidgeted away from him, had I not recognised it as being playful. "When exactly where you going to tell me?"

Silence settled between us. I had no answer to that question. I wasn't sure when I'd planned to tell him, or even if it was my place to tell him that our friendship had been arranged by our parents to become something much more. Still, some part of me hadn't wanted to tell him, to make him feel forced into something that he didn't want. Terence reading something in my silence, shifted to the edge of his seat, creeping closer to me with his gaze set resolutely on my face. I couldn't bring myself to meet his eyes.

"I've never seen you get nervous like this, Cali," Terence hummed quietly, sounding amused. His words deepened the flush of my cheeks. "At least our parents made it easier for me. I don't need to bother making a fuss or asking you to Hogsmeade, or even getting down on one knee. You'll be my wife anyway."

Embarrassed beyond belief, and wanting nothing more than to flee, I settled for thumping Terence. If only to stop him from teasing me. That had been my intention anyway. I hadn't expected Terence to easily catch my hand before it could even land on his arm. The feel of his hand wrapped around my wrist startled me, making my wide eyes flicker to meet his waiting ones. I must've looked a sight, and I expected him to tease me for it. But he didn't. Instead, Terence kept his eyes on mine, as he leaned forward to drop a kick kiss on my fingertips. Swallowing thickly, I felt my heart stutter in my chest; Salazar, this boy would wreck me.

Abruptly I slammed the lid back onto the box, pushed it under my bed and hurried to my feet. I refused to think about it, to let myself go back to -

Shaking my head firmly, I climbed back into bed. Lying down, I drew the blanket up under my chin and closed my eyes, willing myself to fall asleep. I tried to stop my mind from whirring to return to the safety of the past, and it was so bloody difficult. Breathing out steadily, I settled for naming all the constellations I could remember.

It would be a long night. But then again, they always were.

**********

When morning arrived, I wanted nothing more than to stay in bed. And maybe I would've let myself give in to the urge to roll over and go back to sleep if there weren't so few days left before my sisters returned to Hogwarts. We made it a habit of spending as much time with each other as possible during those final days if only to ease the inevitable loneliness Polly would feel at being left at home. Although, this would be the first year that both Clio and I were home to keep her company. Still, I forced myself to sit up with a groan. Pushing my bedraggled hair out of my face, I rose to my feet and got ready for the day.

Once I was changed into a fresh set of clothes, I slid my feet into my slippers and made my down to the ground floor. I halted for a moment at the bottom of the stairs, hearing the sounds of my sisters' voices as they spoke over one another; they were never all awake so early. I hesitated for a moment, struggling to push away the uncertainty and inferiority that sprung up; would this be the moment they decided that they wanted to leave? Would today be the day they told me that they wanted to be with each other, their real family and there was no place for me in it?

I dismissed the thought as quickly as it came. Following the sound of their conversation into the dining room, I tried not to falter when my sisters all fell silent at the sight of me, their eyes honing in on me. Straightening my shoulders and trying my best to appear unfazed, I offered them all a warm smile.

"What's everyone doing awake so early in the morning?" I asked, looking curiously between Clio and Mellie. They both shared a glance.

It was Rania who answered me, "Clio called a family meeting."

"Oh?" I asked, looking expectantly at Clio who still said nothing. Era took that as her queue to stand, and she crossed the space quickly between us. Taking me by the hand, Era escorted me to an empty chair between herself and Polly, as if expecting me to turn and run away. The silence stretched out, with each of my sisters refusing to look at me as if waiting for someone else to speak first. My stomach tightened unpleasantly. "What's the meeting for then?"

"It's for you," Clio, sitting directly across from me, answered. When I arched a silent eyebrow, both Euta and Psi were quick to move the plates of food away from us as if expecting them to go flying. "It's because you've been behaving like an absolute idiot that I called for this family meeting."

"Excuse me?" I asked incredulously.

Clio was unperturbed as she continued, "You've launched yourself completely into being the head of the household and lost yourself in it. Don't even try and argue otherwise, we can all see you wearing away and just look at what you've done to both yourself and Terence."

"Don't," I cut in, shoulders stiffening.

Still, ever stubborn and always knowing how to push my buttons, Clio continued, "You do realise that by giving up Terence you've given up the only healthy relationship our sisters have ever seen, don't you?"

Pushing my chair out from under the table, I dodged the hands that shot out to hold me. Standing tall and trying not to let myself falter under the combined weight of all the eyes on me, I insisted, "You have no idea what you're talking about Clio, so don't go making assumptions."

"Calliope," it was Polly who spoke next, her voice cutting through whatever retort Clio was going to make. Our youngest sister's eyes were fixed so earnestly on me that I relented to her silent wish and took my seat again. If only for her, I would sit here and let my most painful wound be poked and prodded at. "You're not giving Terence up for me. Not to look after me."

"Polly," I said around a sigh, but she shook her head, refusing to let me speak or to try and convince her otherwise.

Not that I would have been able to do so anyway. Not when Thalia, settled beside Polly, and looking to be in better health than even yesterday added hurriedly but firmly, "Not for me either."

Rendered silent and unable to string my words together, my eyes roved across the table. What was I supposed to say to that? When really, my entire purpose, my only purpose had been to look after them? To keep them safe. And if that took cleaving my heart open and living with the pain of that then -

"We're sisters," Psi's voice carried across the silence. Her eyes, piercing and suspiciously shiny. "We're your sisters Cali. We're all here to support you, just the way you support each of us. Let us look after you too."

Instantly, I shook my head. From my tightened throat, I barely managed a, "No."

"The weight of this entire family doesn't fall to you."

I shook my head again, even as I felt myself falter under their words. Trying my best to hide it, and not wanting them to see me stumble, I dropped my head, harshly blinking away the tears that gathered in my eyes. Father had always said that I was here to look after his daughters, the ones he cared for and yet, here they were, clambering around me at the sound of my first sniffle and drawing me into a tangled embrace. My sisters gathered around me, squeezing me tight as they spoke reassuringly over one another. One of them, I couldn't make out who soothed their hand repeatedly over my head; I forced myself not to whimper at the contact. When was the last time someone other than Terence had offered me this comfort?

We remained like that for a while, as I tried to gather myself and return to myself. Eventually, Mellie, who was at my side with her arms wrapped securely around me, spoke with her face pressed into my shoulder, "So when are you getting back together with Terence then?"

Sniffling and wiping the tear tracks from my face, I gave a watery laugh.

**********

When I woke the next morning, I felt lighter than I had in months. Although little had changed in a single day, and perhaps it wouldn't change at all, just the reaffirmed knowledge that if I needed that support, my sisters were there to prop me up, had me sleeping easier and resting. But today would be a busy day; we had to head into Diagon Alley to finish getting the supplies they all needed for school. That didn't seem so daunting anymore.

Taking my time to walk down the stairs, I finished braiding my hair as I went. I listened out for my sisters trying to figure out how many of them I needed to wake up for breakfast. From the multiple voices mingling together, most of them were already awake, saving me some time this morning. Continuing on my way to the dining room, my morning greeting died on my tongue at the sight of the man settled between Polly and Euta, looking the picture of comfort.

I forced my feet not to turn and run away. I combatted my every urge to turn and run away, not wanting to see Terence. Well, I did want to see Terence, but I didn't want to see Terence when I was freshly out of bed and still in my pyjamas. I looked like a mess and Salazar's soul, I didn't want him to see me when I was in such a state. Not that it made much sense either - we'd spent years together at school, and he'd seen me in far worse. And yet, I couldn't stop myself from fidgeting with my hands when Terence finally clocked sight of me.

He stopped smiling at something Mellie had been saying, rising to his feet as if to greet me. I couldn't hold his eyes for long, glancing hurried away from him. I was all too aware of the faintly amused, and yet confused glances my sisters were shot between the pair of us, but I couldn't help my hesitance. Not when I didn't know how to proceed beyond wanting to apologise to him for hurting him and ask him if he could forgive me for it. And if Terence could forgive me, could he forgive me enough to love me again?

It was when Thalia pointedly cleared her throat that I realised I needed to say something. Raising my eyes to Terence's, I found his gaze settled patiently on me. His eyes were soft as they considered me. "I didn't realise you were joining us for breakfast."

"I wasn't planning to," Terence admitted with a gentle smile curling at the corner of his mouth. "But Polly owled me last night and well, I can't deny her anything. Which I'm fairly certain she already knows."

When Terence shot her a look full of feigned irritation, Polly smiled widely looking all too pleased with herself. She then looked back at me, beaming. "It was my idea."

"Polly-" I couldn't get the rest of my sentence out.

Era and Rania rose hurriedly from their seats, grasping me by the arms. They shared a look with Clio and Mellie who were quick to do the same with Terence and together my sisters' frog marched us towards the study, paying no heed to any of my protests. Terence didn't even bother to protest. Rather, he seemed amused. When we reached the study, Terence was pushed in first and I quickly followed suit, being shoved out of my sisters' arms and directly into Terence's chest. He caught me steadily, winding his arms securely around my waist, even as I continued to spout curses at my sisters who resolutely shut the door behind them.

Realising the position we were in, I turned to face Terence who was watching me meaningfully. His hands, holding me steady, squeezed me once, reassuringly. Uncertain and faltering under his eyes, I tried to turn away from him, to put some space between us. But he didn't let me go far. Terence lifted a hand to my chin, grasping it gently and tilting it upwards, as if to get a better look at me.

"You've been crying," he stated, eyebrows furrowed. His eyes flickered between both of mine. "Calliope?"

"It's nothing bad," I assured him, remembering my night spent crying all the tears I'd suppressed. Terence didn't appear convinced but I assured him, with my resting against his chest, "I just had a much needed heart to heart with my sisters. That's all, I promise."

"Good." For a second, so slight that I might have missed it had I not been cataloguing his features, drinking them in greedily after being this close to him for the first time in months, I watched him glance away from me before looking back again. He took hold of my waist, squeezing me softly as if to hold himself steady. His eyes watched me warily, "I - your sisters told me to come back with the ring."

I swallowed harshly at the admission, struggling to hear anything beyond the rapid thundering of my heart. Quietly, unable to speak beyond a whisper, I asked, "Did you bring it?"

For a moment, he didn't answer me. And then that moment lengthened and I tried not to listen to all the harsh whispers that plagued my mind. Had I really expected Terence to come running after I'd hurt him so badly? Knowing that I had to speak now, that I probably wouldn't have this chance to fix things if I let it go, I gathered whatever fleeting courage I had left.

"Did you want to bring it?"

"Of course, I wanted to bring it," Terence said as if he couldn't understand how I could've thought otherwise. As if to prove his point, he reached into his pocket and drew out an all-too-familiar ring box. His hand shook a little as he held it. Salazar, I'd never seen him so nervous. "But I also know that we need to talk about everything, Cali."

"We do" I agreed and before I could chicken out, I said everything that came to mind. "I love you, Terence, that's the honest truth. I love you so much that I can't ever imagine loving anyone else ever, but I have a duty to my sisters - I've always had a duty to them. And, and you wanted to marry early, as soon as we possibly could, and Salazar's soul I wanted that too, but I have a duty to them. How could I ask you to wait? I couldn't make you wait for me- "

Before I could ramble on any longer, Terence cut in firmly, "I'd wait an eternity for you, Cali. Even if you never asked me to wait for you. Do you understand that?"

And as I stood, held securely in his arms, cradled against his chest and my eyes on his, I knew it was the truth. So I nodded, offering him a hesitant smile. Terence returned it with a blinding one of his own.

"Besides," he started, tightening the arm around me to draw me more firmly against him, "it won't be too much of a chore to wait a few more years until Polly's of age."

He lowered his head, silencing anything I could have said and kissing me senseless. Not that there was much more I wanted to say, beyond apologising to him. But I could save that for later. For now, I wound my arms around his shoulders, clinging to him as I tried and failed not to smile giddily against his seeking lips.

**********

10 YEARS LATER

Some part of me didn't believe this was real. I still felt like today was some sort of dream, because, for the longest time, it had been nothing more than a dream that I would be getting married to Terence after waiting years to do so. And yet, here I stood, just minutes after the wedding ceremony with Terence - my husband - at my side as we thanked our guests for attending. As if he knew where my thoughts were, Terence tightened his arm around my waist, drawing me into his side as he spoke.

He nodded at something Malfoy was saying, even as his thumb rubbed soothingly up and down where it was perched on my hip. Aware that I wasn't being even remotely subtle in my appraisal of him, and not even caring, I studied my husband - my handsome, loving husband. It still felt like a dream, the best possible dream. Terence finally thanked Malfoy for taking the time to attend, and I managed to tack on an agreeing statement before the younger man was turning away. Finally left alone for the first time in what felt like an age, Terence looked at me with a knowing smile.

"Keep looking at me like that and I'll cut this reception short," he warned with a teasing smile.

"Looking at you like what?" I asked, feigning ignorance.

He didn't buy it for a second. "You know exactly what you're doing, sweetheart."

When he leaned forward as if to kiss me, I pressed a hand against his chest. Terence, not anticipating the barrier, furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, only to roll his eyes when I continued to tease, "I really don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh please." He practically scoffed before glancing behind me. I watched as Terence struggled not to sigh in exasperation, "Now are you going to kiss me before we get apprehended again? Or will I have to cut this reception short so I can kiss you?"

"What-"

I didn't even have time to finish asking my question before I was eased out of Terence's arms which had, rather futilely, attempted to fight against the insistent hands holding onto me. But he was no match for my sisters. Laughing incredulously at the pout Terence directed at my sisters who crowded around me, I patted Polly's arm reassuringly when she linked it through mine.

"I should be used to this by now," Terence said, shaking his head.

"You should be," Era agreed, unable to keep the amusement from her voice.

"I'll be coming to get her back if you keep her for too long," Terence warned, pointing his finger at my sisters as if they were still the children who would listen. Sometimes he struggled to accept just how grown they now were, that was particularly the case for Polly who had just recently turned 21.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say." Rania batted Terence's hand away when he reached out for me again. "You get to keep her forever now, let us have some of her time."

Terence, knowing the importance of picking his battles and all too aware that he was no match for the combined stubbornness of all my sisters, relented. He shot me a final lingering glance full of promise, one that despite my best efforts, had my ears heating before he walked away. My sisters surrounded me and made exaggerated scandalised remarks with Thalia complaining about feeling like she was witnessing her parents flirting. Without even glancing her way, I swatted her arm.

There was a slow beat before I was enveloped in congratulatory hugs and chatters of well wishes that I struggled to keep up with. But I thanked them all for it nonetheless. Likely knowing that I was on the verge of becoming overwhelmed and that Terence was likely to follow through on coming to collect me, my sisters one by one took their leave, embracing me tight and occasionally thanking me for everything I'd done for them. I blinked madly, refusing to cry on my wedding day. Eventually, when only Clio remained at my side, I turned my focus to her.

My sister, practically my twin, offered me a small smile before she embraced me. Even as she murmured her congratulations into my shoulder, Clio didn't pull back. Uncharacteristically she kept her arms around me as if needing the support. Rubbing her back soothingly, I waited for her to draw back. But when it became obvious that she didn't want to, I was the one to draw back. Keeping my arms around her, I studied her features with a gentle frown.

"Clio?" I probed quietly, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she denied instantly with a shake of her head. When I continued to wait, she offered me a smile, trying to draw back from me, "Trust me, it's nothing. Besides, today isn't the day to worry about my problems."

"No, no," I insisted, holding steadily onto her arms. "Tell me what's wrong."

"Nothing, it's just the usual. Marcus is being an idiot."

It wasn't the place to probe, not with guests hanging around, but I wanted to ask Clio whether Marcus was being an actual idiot or had the pair squabbled over something that didn't need squabbling over. But I kept the words to myself and instead followed Clio's eyes and found her looking at her husband who stood talking to mine. Terence, for his part, was listening attentively to whatever the older man was telling him - I had the faintest inkling that he was being told the same things I had been.

"Look at him trying to get Terence onto his side," Clio grumbled under her breath.

"You know, there doesn't need to be sides."

She didn't appreciate my statement, shooting me a look. "Don't be a traitor."

"I'm not. I'm just saying that if you two actually talked about whatever's bothering you, instead of you refusing to communicate because he didn't agree with your decision-"

"Why are you assuming it's my fault?"

"I didn't say anything about it being your fault. Just talk to him."

Before Clio could protest and I knew exactly what she would say - that he needed to talk to her - our husbands had approached us. Terence shot me a silent exasperated look but said nothing. It was Marcus who pierced the silence. Stepping closer to Clio, he looped an impressive arm around her waist and tugged her effortlessly against his formidable chest.

"Don't manhandle me," Clio protested, even as she melted easily against him. I struggled not to roll my eyes.

"Come on," Marcus said, patiently. He was always patient when it came to Clio, "Let's give the newlyweds some privacy."

When Clio went to protest again, an action that we all knew was purely for the sake of her pride, Marcus silenced her with a kiss to the crown of her head before leading her away. Finally left alone, Terence returned to my side and we watched as the couple headed to the outskirts of the room, likely to have a much-needed conversation which, if history was any indication, would result in them losing themselves in each other.

"Honestly," I said, shaking my head.

"I don't think I gave all of this enough thought," Terence said, dropping his head onto my shoulder. When I reached a hand up to his face, he nuzzled into it, "I didn't realise I was signing myself up for being the unofficial eldest brother-in-law and problem solver for all of your sisters' partners."

"I was completely transparent about what you were signing up for," I reminded him. "It's too late for you to be backing out now."

Terence lifted his head, turning bodily to face me. His arms secured themselves around me as he said, "Shouldn't I be the one saying that? You're legally stuck with me now, Mrs Higgs."

I didn't tell him that I'd been waiting an age to switch my surname for his - ours, now. Not that I needed to tell him. Instead, I lifted my head expectantly towards his and Terence didn't keep me waiting. Closing the space between us, Terence kissed me as if it was something he wanted to spend the rest of his life doing. He drew me closer to him, cradling my jaw in a large hand and smiling against my mouth. Distantly, I could hear our guests start to cheer. 

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As always, let me know what you thought about the story and about the series idea. 

Also, Terence in this series is the sort of eldest sister's boyfriend/pseudo eldest brother figure who gives his unofficial sisters flowers every valentines day so he sets their standards high right from the off. You can bet he's giving the upcoming significant others hell 

I'm aiming to have the next one shot (which I'm hoping ends up a lot short than this one) will be out on the 10th. Here are the hints:

* Sorted into Hufflepuff

* Became a prefect whilst at school

* An only child