Hello my wonderful fawns ~

As promised, here is the next one shot. It's also the second installment of the Slytherin Sisters/Selman Sisters series. It features the second in command; Clio

This isn't edited (but are you really surprised?)

Anyway, I hope you like it ~

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'Family Outings' as Calliope had always lovingly labelled the days we all left home and ventured out into the real world, were always hectic and were absolutely horrendous to organise. With 9 sisters, each with different sleep patterns and different temperaments, it was difficult to wrangle all of us to the desired location. Not that I did too much of the wrangling with Cali around to do most of it.

But, throughout all of our years growing up side by side, like one another's shadows, we'd learnt that when our sisters refused to listen to Cali, it was time for me to step in. It was no secret that of the pair of us, the heir and the spare as father had always stated, I had the shorter fuse. Maybe that was why it had only taken a single glance from me to stop Euta from giving Cali hell about waking up so early in the morning.

Of course, it had taken almost all morning to organise, but after some teamwork, all of my sisters were out of the house and now seated in the stands as we waited for the Quidditch match to begin. It was Polly who requested that we spend the day at the stadium so she could live vicariously through the players and watch them as they flew. She didn't need to tell us about her despair that she would never be able to ride a broom the way the rest of us could, it was all there in the way she clung to Cali's side. Calliope, always the eldest, always steadfast, hugged her close.

"It looks like the game will start soon," Cali said, glancing around the two benches that we occupied. "If you want to eat something, we should probably get the food now. What does everyone want?"

The order, which could only ever be humongous, was rattled off quickly and I made a mental note of it all. When Cali went to stand, I ushered for her to sit and assured her that I would handle it. There wasn't much that I could handle for her, what with being the spare, but this, I could do. She gave me a silent look, one that all of our sisters missed, asking if I was certain and I offered her a short, reassuring smile.

Leaving my sisters behind, I navigated my way through the stands which were becoming progressively more crowded towards the food and drink vendors. Sure enough, many of the other spectators had the same idea and a formidable crowd had gathered around the various stands, wanting to get their food before the match kicked off. Forcing myself to wait patiently, I mentally recited the list of things I wanted to order and counted them off on my fingers, going through each sister to make sure I hadn't missed anything. I made the mental note to order food for Calliope, despite her insistence that she wasn't hungry. She wasn't hungry often anymore, not since she'd taken on the heavy mantle of head of the household and had torn herself away from the love of her life. She had no idea that Thalia had approached me multiple times to express concern over her lack of appetite.

Finally making it to the front of the crowd, I tried not to make my annoyance known as I struggled to catch the attention of the staff. It was understandable that it was hard to get their attention, especially when the crowd was so large, and yet that did nothing to ease my irritation at how unorganised everything was. It was only made worse by the people around me who continued to push and shove in their impatience for their turn. Salazar's soul, I needed strength to refrain from snapping.

A body, large and warm, settled into the space at my side, effortlessly summoning the attention of the staff. I forced myself to hold my tongue, especially when the man at my side gestured for me to go ahead first. Turning to address him, my eyes flickered very briefly over his thick black hair and bright grey eyes and that was all it took for the recognition to settle in. It had been years since I'd even been anywhere near Marcus Flint.

"Go ahead, Clio," he said, his deep voice steady as he gestured towards me again. My eyebrows rose slightly in surprise; he remembered me? There had been plenty of Selman's at Hogwarts by the time he had left school, but he remembered me specifically?

"Thanks," I said briefly, not liking the way his voice struck me in the centre of my chest.

Shuffling a little uncomfortably at my body's visceral reaction to him, I faced forward once more and rattled off my impressively long order. At first, as I continued to list item after item, the man serving me appeared dubious as if believing that the entire order was for me and doubting that I meant it. However, as it continued, he snapped to it and summoned his colleague and together they started to work on getting me the items I'd requested. Setting the money down on the counter, I prepared myself for a long wait, whilst trying and failing to keep my attention from wandering to the older man at my side. Marcus Flint at 20 years old had grown into his features in a way that he hadn't whilst at Hogwarts.

Distantly, I heard Flint rattle off his own order, far shorter than mine and so he received his items quicker as well. Not that he left straight away. He lingered at my side, turning his body towards me as if wanting my attention. I held myself firm, waiting to hear what he had to say.

"You've left Hogwarts, right?" he asked abruptly, taking me by surprise; that hadn't been what I'd expected.

"Do I look like I'm still in Hogwarts?" I arched an eyebrow, mouth curling down at the insinuation that I looked anything like a school child. He didn't respond and instead continued to wait for the answer to his question. My earlier awareness faded away into irritation; as if I looked like a school child still! The cheek of it all. "I graduated a few months back."

He didn't respond to the turn in my tone and instead nodded, accepting my answer with a simple, "Fair enough."

We settled into silence once more as I continued to wait. One by one, the food and drinks items were piled up in front of me. Hopefully, there wouldn't be too long left to wait now.

Once more, Flint broke the silence. This time, his words were quieter as he said, "My condolences to you and your family for your loss."

"Thank you," I said shortly. Father's death had been a loss, yes, and yet, he had spent so little time with us that there wasn't much of an absence to be missed. As strange as it was, it was the loss of Calliope's mother that had hit the hardest; despite all, she had been put through, she had been a mother to me, to all of the sisters that had been around before she lost her life far too early.

Once everything was finally placed in front of me, the vendor stood, waiting a little anxiously as he watched me check over the items. Assuring him that everything was there, I thanked him once more and reached for my wand. Before I could cast the spell to levitate everything before me, Flint beat me to it. Looking at him in surprise and ready to protest that I didn't need any help and could handle things by myself, he gave me a firm look.

"Come on, before the game begins," he said, walking ahead. When I made no motion to follow him and was ready to show him just how obstinate I could be, Flint remarked over his shoulder, "I won't know where to take these if you don't lead the way. Unless you want your sisters to go hungry?"

My desire to feed my sisters outweighed my desire to demonstrate that I was someone who had always been able to look after myself. Walking quickly, I overtook Flint and lead him towards the stand where my family was seated. I was briefly tempted to hurry through the crowd, to slip through the gaps that I knew his broad frame wouldn't let him through. But I fought the urge.

Psi, who locked eyes with me, stood and ushered me over. Her eyes flickered briefly behind me, no doubt spying the large framed man following behind me and she faltered for a moment. Curiosity briefly flickered over her features before she schooled them into a neutral expression once I drew close enough. No doubt once Flint left us alone she would begin needling me.

"Flint," Cali greeted, in surprise, casting a look between the pair of us. "How are you?"

"Good," he said briefly, handing off the food and drinks one by one to Rania and Mellie who set about silently distributing them between us all. I accepted my drink with a silent nod, eyeing the interaction. "I thought I would show my goodwill and play the knight in shining armour."

"Not that I needed your help," I finally said.

Flint watched me steadily but didn't respond to my words. Rather, I swore there was a faint smile at the corner of his mouth. Clenching my jaw to keep back my words, I narrowed my eyes for him to see before he turned his focus to Cali. The two took themselves aside, speaking quietly amongst themselves. I tried and failed to listen in on their conversation, but struggled to make anything out.

Flint didn't linger for long before he said his goodbyes and headed off to find his seat. My eyes trailed after his as he left, even as the commentator announced that the game was to begin. Psi didn't wait long, the moment Flint was out of earshot, she started to grill me and was sorely disappointed that there were no sordid details.

**********

Upon leaving Hogwarts, like the rest of my peers, I was struck by the reality that I had the rest of my life to live. The time I had spent in Hogwarts was absolutely nothing in comparison to the stretching expanse of the years I had ahead of me and I had no idea what it was that I wanted to do with it. Unlike most of my dormmates, I had no idea what I wanted to do, what profession I wanted to go into, or if I wanted to study any further.

Whilst most of them had made the necessary moves to progress in their lives, I hadn't. At that point, I hadn't known what I wanted to do, and even now, I still had no idea. But, I needed to do something with my life. I couldn't loiter around the home with nothing to do but get in my sisters' way and live off of the Selman family funds, until my fiance - whoever he was - decided it was time to make himself known. If he wanted to make himself known, that was. I hurried to dismiss the thought as quickly as it had arrived.

It was the uncertainty of living a life of no purpose that had me recalling the only school subject that I had thoroughly enjoyed and excelled at; astronomy. And it was on this basis alone that I had opened up communication with the office of an Astrologist, or rather with the Astrologist's assistant who had assured me that her employer was more than willing to meet me.

And so, as I stood outside of the office of said Astrologist at the prompting of his assistant, I hesitated to knock on the door. I wasn't even certain that this was the career path I wanted to head down and yet I was prepared to take up some of his time. Then again, if I didn't meet with him to discuss what being an Astrologist actually entailed, I wouldn't know if I wanted to do this. The voice of reason in my head sounded suspiciously like Mellie.

Gathering my fleeting nerves, I raised my hand to the door and knocked once. For a moment, there was no response and I was prepared to knock again. But, there came a simple call of, "Come in."

Taking the cue, I reached for the doorknob and opened the door. Pushing it open, I stepped into the room and sought out the Astrologist who I had yet to even communicate with. The man I found sitting behind the desk rendered me speechless. Flint, who glanced up at the intrusion, paused partway through consulting some astrology charts. He watched me in obvious surprise. The image of him, sitting behind a desk was so unexpected that I almost couldn't bring myself to step further into the room. Flint for his part wasn't exactly any better, his eyebrows had risen as he appraised me.

Composing himself, he was the first to talk as he gestured me into the room, "Good afternoon, Clio."

"Good afternoon," I responded, at last shutting the door behind me. But still, I didn't move any further.

Flint, rising to his formidable height, came out from behind his desk and rounded the side of it. He pulled out a chair from the other side as if he thought I needed further instruction and I tried not to smart at the idea that he thought me inept. It certainly didn't help that I was acting inept. Only when I made to approach the chair, did he return to his seat.

Leaning back comfortably, Flint folded his hands across his broad chest as he admitted, "When my assistant told me that he'd been communicated with a prospective Astrologist in training, I hadn't expected it to be anyone I know."

Uncertain if that was meant to be a barb, I pointed out sharply, "You don't know me."

"We don't really know each other," he agreed, tilting his head slightly as he considered me. His eyes were settled firmly onto me, so I forced myself not to fidget. If he already meant to disparage my interest in studying astrology, I would hardly give him the satisfaction of showing how uncertain I was. "Why is it that you want to study astrology, Clio?"

There it was again, my name. There was something in the way he said my name, so assuredly, so naturally, that had my raised hackles flattening. I wasn't sure why or even how, but the way he said my name was almost a silent promise that he would never get it wrong, that he at least wouldn't slip up and call me Cali, the way so many others had. It was an understandable mistake; father's heir and spare were called Cali and Clio, in the same house at Hogwarts, born barely months apart, so it made sense that others would easily get us mixed up. And yet it didn't stop it from smarting. I wasn't like Cali, I wasn't as smart or as kind or as patient, and yet I was me. I was Clio and I wanted to be addressed as Clio.

When I still said nothing, he prompted, "Clio?"

"I'm not sure," I admitted honestly before I could chastise myself. If he already thought I was unworthy of becoming an Astrologist, then surely my words were just further fuel for the assumption. Unconcsioculy I felt my shoulders tighten as I prepared to stop any hurtful words with a barb of my own. "Astrology was always the subject that interested me at school, and it was the one that I was good at, so I thought that it would be a good career path to look into. Which is why I'm here, to find out some more things about it, from a newly qualified astrologist."

I held my silence, waiting for him to dismiss me, or to attempt to do so anyway. But it never came. Rather, he nodded steadily before saying, "That's a good idea."

He'd done it again; his simple statement had my shoulders easing and the tension leaving me. All too soon, I tensed once more, not used to being so easily mollified by someone who wasn't blood. It wouldn't do.

Flint straightened up in his seat, propping his arms on the desk as he spoke. "It's a good idea to get some more insight into astrology before you devote yourself to studying it further."

Flint turned his eyes to me as if expecting me to say something but I was rendered uncharacteristically silent. How could I say anything when I was left speechless by the warmth that coursed through my veins at the simple compliment; if it was even a compliment? If he wanted to, Flint would have called me out on the lack of interest that I was displaying for someone who had arranged this meeting. But he didn't. Rather, he set about explaining to me the different routes I could take the become an astrologist and the merits and demerits of each option.

I should have been making notes or at least listening to everything that he was saying, but I wasn't. My eyes, of their own volition, as certainly against all rational sense settled for roving over the man seated across from me. Flint was a very broad-shouldered, the type of man whose physique boasted of the possibility of great strength. He was a very masculine man, the sort of man who looked like he could pick me up with one arm and walk away with me; my type, in a nutshell.

He stopped talking, looking at me expectantly and I flushed, feeling caught. Averting my eyes from him, I silently chastised myself. Salazar's soul, what was wrong with me? I had more sense than this.

"Maybe we should continue this discussion at another time?" Flint said, at last, sounding faintly amused. I bristled at the sound of it; was he laughing at me? "It'll have to be outside of office hours so we can properly go over the details if that's okay?"

Despite knowing better, and knowing all too well that I was at least physically attracted to this man, I said, "I'd like that. Thank you."

**********

When Flint had suggested meeting outside of office hours I had fully expected him to suggest that I drop by his place of work once the working day was completed, somewhere that was a professional environment in which we could continue our discussions. And this time I would pay attention. What I hadn't expected was for him to write to me the very next day and offer me an invitation to join him at his home which was decidedly not a professional working environment.

He was inviting me into his personal space and I was unsure of how to respond to it. Or rather, I was uncertain of how I should have responded to it. If I had any sense, I would have declined and redirected him to a suggestion of meeting at a library or even extending an invitation for him to join me at my home where my sisters would all be present. I hadn't done that. I had written him a very short response, accepting the invitation and now I was regretting it.

Sitting in front of my vanity, as I checked the makeup on my face, I was severely regretting agreeing to this. This certainly didn't feel like I was attending an arrangement with someone who could become a colleague in the future. Sighing, I brushed my fingers through my hair and staved off the urge to cancel last minute.

A knock on my open bedroom door had me looking at Psi through the mirror as she stood in the doorway. There was a smile on her face that I really wished wasn't there. "Are you going on a date?"

"Of course, I'm not going on a date," I said rolling my eyes as I stood from my seat.

Walking over to my closet, I looked through my coats before reaching for one and trying it on. Once more, I checked my reflection in the mirror, all too aware of my sister watching me.

"Clio," Psi started, speaking slowly, "look at all the effort you're putting in, this is clearly a date."

I faltered for a moment, wondering if she was right. Did Psi have a point? Had I put too much effort into getting ready for my meeting with Marcus? Because this was just a meeting.

Realising that Psi was still waiting, I reminded her, "I'm engaged. I can't exactly be going on a date, now can I?"

"Clio-"

"I'm running late, so I need to get a move on."

Psi, recognising it for the dismissal that it was, just sighed once more before leaving my doorway. I heard her retreating footsteps heading down the corridor and risked another glance at my reflection. Forcing myself to move on, to not get lost in my head, I hurried out of my bedroom and down the stairs to the fireplace. Briefly, as I rushed past her, Polly wished me a good evening and I waved at her in return. Grabbing a fistful of the floo powder, I stepped into the fireplace. Tossing the powder into the flames, I waited for them to turn green before announcing my destination.

The journey took less than a minute and then I was standing in the fireplace of Marcus bloody Flint's apartment, a place where I had never expected to be. I hesitated for a little longer before stepping out into the tastefully decorated living room and glanced around for any sign of the wizard. He was nowhere to be seen.

"Flint?" I called out questioningly into the still silence.

He appeared in a heartbeat walking in through the doorway and approaching me. I took the moment to study him as he walked so self-assuredly. There was something incredibly attractive about his confidence. I hurried to dismiss the dangerous thought.

"Hello," he greeted me, coming around me. I watched him uncertainly for a moment before realising that he wanted to take my coat. Turning my back to him, I assisted him in the gesture, even as I struggled to keep the surprise from my face. "How are you?"

"I'm good thank you," I said faintly, watching him hang my coat on the coat rack. "How was work?"

"Busy. But let's not talk about that." That same, small amused smile tugged at the corner of his lips and I was certain it was at my expense. No doubt my apprehension caused him a lot of amusement. "Follow me, Clio."

Without a word of protest, I trailed after Flint, trying my hardest to keep my eyes from admiring the way his white shirt stretched over his shoulder. I failed. My attention was fixed so heavily on the way the muscles moved under the material that it took me a while to realise that he had escorted me into the kitchen and dining area. He gestured me towards the dining table where some papers were set out in front of a chair.

"I thought you could read some of the stuff I looked at before choosing to study astrology," Flint explained as approached the stove. Absentmindedly, he adjusted the sleeves he had rolled up to his elbows and peered into the pot he had on the heat.

Mortified by even the prospect of him catching me in my appraisal, I settled into the chair and said, "Thank you."

"Nothing to thank me for," he insisted.

I didn't say anything in response. Instead, I reached for the hair tie I had wrapped around my wrist and tied my hair into a ponytail to keep it out of the way. Reaching for the paper at the top of the pile, I started to read through it in silence. Coming to the end of the first paragraph, I swore I could feel the weight of his gaze.

Uncertainly, I lifted my eyes towards the exposed kitchen where, sure enough, Flint stood resting against the counter. I expected him to avert his eyes or even to become a little flustered at our abrupt eye contact. He did neither. Flint didn't look embarrassed or flustered at being caught.

"You look nice," he said simply, taking me by surprise.

"Thank you," I said faintly, fidgeting with my earring before averting my eyes back to the paper. Not that they remained there for long.

When Marcus spoke again, my attention was once more focused on him, "I have dinner on the stove if you would like to join me."

It hit me with startling clarity as I watched the older man who waited patiently for my response. This was a date. Flint had orchestrated this somehow and invited me to dinner without my being aware that he was inviting me to dinner. I was an engaged woman, sitting across from a man who was my physical type, who was watching me with completely unshielded interest, on what could become a date, completely dependent on my answer.

I knew better and yet, I said, "That's very kind of you. Thank you."

I forced myself to concentrate on the documents in front of me as he insisted, "My pleasure."

Despite how badly I wanted to, I kept my eyes locked on the document that I should have been reading. Only, none of the words were sinking in. My eyes were roving across the parchment and yet, none of it held my attention. My attention was solely on the man who, after checking on the pot once more, walked across to join me at the table, settling across from me. I didn't even look at him but I knew where he was the entire time. There was no point in trying to read or even pretending to do it.

Setting the paper down as if I had come to the end of it when in reality I hadn't made it past the first sentence, I looked across the table. Flint sat steadily, watching me as if I was something he wanted to wrap his head around.

Needing to break the silence, I asked, "What do you like about astrology anyway?"

"What makes you think I like it?" he asked.

Fighting the urge to ask if he was attempting to be argumentative, I pointed out, "You must at least like it a little bit to study it further and then work as an Astrologist. Otherwise, that's a lifetime of boredom you've condemned yourself to."

"You've got a point there." I waited for his answer and eventually, Flint shrugged. He didn't look completely comfortable as he admitted, "I've always liked the stars and then while I was studying for the N.E.W.Ts, we learned about how the centaurs use astrology and that was it, I was hooked. It was the only subject I could be bothered with."

I silently acknowledged that we had that in common at least. And yet, it wasn't something I could see myself forging a career in. It was the only thing I could consider studying further to get a job in and even then, I didn't want to do it. There was no job I wanted and yet, maybe that was something about life, you just had to do the things you didn't want to do.

"What about you?" Flint asked eventually, drawing me out of my thoughts. He folded his hands together, propping his chin on his interlinked fingers as he considered me. "Why do you want to become an Astrologist?"

It wasn't the most sensible thing to admit to a potential future colleague that you didn't want to join them in their profession and yet, this wasn't exactly a professional environment. Not anymore, anyway. There was something in the steadfast he was watching me that assured me that he wouldn't fault me for my honesty, even if he wouldn't be pleased with my wasting his time.

"I'm not sure," I confessed, "I just need to do something with my life. It's not like I can lounge about at home and drain Calliope dry."

Flint frowned, his eyebrows drawing together as he stated, "Putting yourself through the training is a lot of unnecessary stress if it's not a career you want, Clio. What would you rather aspire for?"

I had only ever had one aspiration that was forged by my home environment. I wanted, desperately, for my future to consist of a happy family home, something that I had earnestly craved throughout my childhood. I wanted a steady relationship, a loving husband and children who grew up safe and happy and knowing they were loved. Salazar, I wanted to be a homemaker, a good mother and a good wife. Although, I wasn't too sure how I was going to achieve any of that without knowing just who my father had contracted into being betrothed to me.

"Honestly?" Flint nodded, only once at my hesitance. "I think I'd like to be a homemaker."

"There's nothing wrong with that," he said in a heartbeat as if he could hear the uncertainty in my words. Not many people saw it as a viable future, and perhaps it wasn't, but it was what I had always wanted. "You just need to have a partner who makes it possible for you to stay at home as a homemaker."

"I suppose so," I said softly, lowering my eyes to study the ring on my index finger.

"As long as it works for you and your partner, there's nothing wrong with that," he assured me once more as he prepared to stand. "I for one see absolutely nothing wrong with you being a homemaker."

Marcus retreated to the kitchen once more, checking on the pot again. In that moment, as I studied the man who no longer seemed like a stranger, I could almost picture it. I could see myself in his place, tending to the pot as I waited for him to come home from work. It was almost corporeal, almost whole and yet it was overshadowed by the guilt I felt towards the fiancee who never came for me. Or rather, he hadn't yet come for me. A rational, sensible person would have cut this short and left now.

Drawing this out would only cause me even more pain in the future and yet that didn't stop me from standing and heading to his side as I asked, "Can I give s you need a hand with anything?"

**********

From the very moment I'd left Marcus's home, my thoughts lingered on the man. Only, they were tinged with guilt and I couldn't help but loathe my decision to stay. I should have left at the first opportunity but I hadn't. I had remained in his company for hours and I couldn't bring myself to regret that, not when I had enjoyed it. Salazar, what was wrong with me? Why was I acting so unlike myself? I was letting myself be pulled about by my feelings when the rational answer was the only right answer here.

Stepping out of the floo and back into the living room of my family home, I cast a curious glance around, partly expecting to see Rania and Thalia huddled on one of the sofas as they talked through whatever their newest shared obsession was. But they weren't there. None of my sisters were to be seen and were probably settling in for the night.

Taking to the stairs, I made it upstairs and headed in the direction of my bedroom. Only, I found myself coming to a still outside of Cali's study, the light illuminated under the door telling me that she, unlike the rest of our sisters, was very much still awake and working on something or other. I doubted she knew that we all noticed it, but we knew she was keeping herself busy, to stop her mind from wandering to Terence.

I briefly contemplated leaving it, that it was better I approached her at another time, but there would be no better time. Cali would always be busy. And there was still so much I needed to say to her, so much that I hadn't been able to bring myself to say. I still needed to apologise for everything I'd said to her after father's death. I'd taken up arms against the person who grew at my side as my mirror image for a mother who had never wanted me.

Forcing the thought from my mind, I knocked hesitantly on the door. If she didn't respond, then I'd just wait until next time. I almost wished that she didn't answer. But of course, she did.

"Come in," Cali called out with a sigh.

Pushing the door open, I headed into the study and looked around the room. Father had always been so secretive about this room, refusing to let any of us in unless he deemed it necessary but it was usually off-limits. It was different, now that it was Cali's study, she assured us we could enter whenever we wanted, but how could we come in here when it meant adding onto the already heavy burden she bore on her shoulders? Just one look at my sister as she sat behind a desk that seemed far too large for her, gave me all the evidence I needed to know that she looked older under the weight of duty.

"Clio," she greeted with a tired smile, ushering me in when I continued to hover by the door. "Did you want to talk about something?"

There was so much I wanted to talk to her about, that I wanted to ask her. I wanted to ask her why she had decided to forsake Terence. Only, the answer to that was all too obvious; she'd done it for us. For the burdens she had been lumbered with, steadfast, dependable, good Calliope had sacrificed a life full of love. I wanted to ask her if she had spoken to Terence, but I didn't. It would likely only hurt her and what good would I get from hurting the first person who had loved me unconditionally?

Did she ever realise the debt all 8 of us owed her? For the mere fact that it was Calliope, not father, not her mother and certainly not Dorothea, who was the first to love us all unconditionally? And what good had the rest of us been to her? Apart from being the reason she had to give up her love? Not that she would ever agree with that.

Cali called my name again, the single word tinged with concern at my silence. "Come on, talk to me."

"I'm okay," I assured her with a feigned sigh that I knew she saw through. She continued to wait and before her mind could delve into some conclusion, I asked, "As the head of our household, will you please petition on my behalf to break my betrothal?"

She straightened up in her seat then, asking, "I can do, but why do you want to break it?"

"He might not like me."

"You don't even know who he is," Cali pointed out with a sigh. "You've refused to communicate with him or to even know who he is. How do you know he won't like you if you don't know who he is? Would you like me to at least show you the betrothal contract?"

"No." She frowned at the force behind my answer.

I didn't want to tell her that it would make me feel worse about going back on my father's word if I knew exactly who I was letting down. And yet, if I did know who it was, maybe I would know why he had kept himself away. My betrothed, whoever he was, remained in the shadows and he certainly hadn't acted like Terence who, upon finding out about his betrothal, had latched himself gleefully onto Calliope.

Only, what did any of that matter when I found myself being drawn so strongly towards another man that I couldn't bring myself to resist the attraction? I didn't want to resist it. That was the truth and yet I didn't want to speak it aloud. Not to Calliope who had only ever been faithful to her betrothed and would likely continue to be faithful to him even though they'd broken up.

Rather than say any of that, I instead chose to bare my most hidden concerns, "What if my fiance - or anyone for that matter - doesn't want me because I'm illegitimate? I don't want to force that onto anyone."

"Neither of you are responsible for the conditions of your birth," Cali said steadily, having repeated the sentiment multiple times to me, to our younger sisters, once we'd learnt what being illegitimate meant. "Leave it with me, I'll sort it out."

"Thanks."

"Nothing to thank me for," Cali said, briefly rubbing her tired eyes as she spoke with a wry smile, "it's what I'm here for."

"Cali, I ... just take a break every now and then."

"Of course," she said easily. It sounded like a lie.

**********

When Marcus next wrote to me, asking if I would like a repeat of our evening together, I held off from replying. My instant response had been an absolute yes; I wanted to spend time with him, so what else mattered? Except, there was a lot that mattered. And no matter how much I wanted to spend time with him, I needed to at least wait until my betrothal was broken before I knowingly went on dates with him.

For now, I would have to stave off the urge to see him. Eventually, it was Era who, growing sick of my sulking, as she put it, worked up the nerves to tell me to respond to his letter. So, a few days after receiving it, I thanked him for the sentiment but told him I was busy. Marcus responded promptly to my letter, thanking me for my response and owling me some documents that he thought would be helpful in my continued investigation into whether astrology was a suitable career path.

Now here I sat, at the dining table, consulting these documents and attempting to keep my focus on them. It was proving to be incredibly difficult when my thoughts wanted to wander back to the owner of these documents, and whether his thoughts were doing the same. Putting the parchment aside, I dropped my head into my hands and let out a long sigh. I just had to be patient. I wasn't sure how much longer I would need to wait until my engagement was broken, but I would have to wait it out and just hope that Marcus was willing to stick around until then. If he even really liked me as anything more than a passing interest.

"Clio?" the mildly concerned call of my name had me lifting my head, searching the room for Cali who walked into the room and stopped still at the sight of me. "Is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine," I assured her, offering her a smile that she didn't appear to accept. "Did you need something?"

"Yes, here." She approached me then, outstretching her hand towards me.

My eyes dropped to the letter clasped in her hand which I accepted. Holding the envelope between two fingers, I glanced curiously between Calliope and the letter. At the sight of my confusion, my sister came to a stop by the dining table, resting her side against the nearest chair.

Calliope considered me carefully, "It's from your fiance."

"For me?" I asked in confusion. They'd never written to me before, so why begin now? Especially when I was determined on ending it?

"I wrote to him the night you came into the office," Cali explained. "He wrote one to me and asked me to give you one as well. You should probably give it a read."

"I don't want to."

Opening her mouth to protest in the face of my obstinance, Cali kept her silence when I shook my head. She wouldn't understand it, but I didn't want to read his letter. Reading his letter, and even knowing his name at the bottom of the letter would make it all real. He would go from being some unknown figure in my mind to being human and whole, someone who I had been promised to years ago and was now abandoning. I had to do what was right for me, but it would be so much easier if my betrothed remained an unknown entity.

"I don't want to read it," I said again.

"Clio, you know you need to read it," Calliope said, her voice firm this time. It was the tone she took with our younger sisters, the one that made her sound less like a sister and more like a maternal figure. Certainly from the way she was looking at me, a hand on her hip, she looked very much like a chastising parent. "Let me tell you what the letter to me said then, something tells me they'll say the same thing. He wants to meet you in person, to discuss how things are going to move forward, if you choose to move things forward, that is."

"But why?" I demanded, trying not to throw my hands in the air at the unfairness.

This was supposed to be easy; if he was anyone of any respectful character, he would have willingly released me from the bounds of our betrothal after finding out that it wasn't what I wanted. He shouldn't have made it this difficult or created these hurdles that I needed to overcome before releasing me.

Despite already knowing the answer, I asked, "Do I need to go?"

Lifting my eyes to Cali, I knew exactly what she was stopping herself from saying. Since becoming the head of the household, she held back her words more, when really she shouldn't have. She should have told me to get a grip, just the way she actually wanted to. At least then I would have been able to flare up and lash out at her for trying to tell me what to do and she would sigh and acknowledge that it was my way of dealing with the situation. But she didn't say it, and I didn't snap.

"You need to have a face-to-face conversation," she settled for.

"You're right," I said with a sigh. "I'll just meet him and we'll straighten this entire mess out. Do you think you can write to him for me?"

"I think he wrote to you in an attempt to open up communication," Cali pointed out.

"Even still," I persisted, feeling very much like a little sister who was choosing to hide behind her older sister and letting her fight her battles for me, "Do you think you can write to him?"

It was yet another task added to the no doubt ridiculously long list of things she needed to do. But, Cali acquiesced, just like I knew she would. "Okay, I'll write to him and let you know."

**********

With Cali acting as the reluctant messenger owl between myself and my still fiance, we had agreed to meet at a coffee shop to keep the meeting as low-key as possible. Although I had wanted to keep it even more low-key by dragging Euta with me, she had thoroughly shut the idea down by threatening to go to Clio and that ended the matter there. As I made my way into the coffee shop, I resolutely decided to keep this meeting short and efficient. We were here to discuss business and I refused to dillydally.

Searching the busy coffee shop, I found an empty table at the back and made my way towards it. Settling comfortably, I crossed my legs at the ankle and fixed my eyes on the front door so I could watch everyone who walked in and out. Even if I didn't know who was going to be coming here, I wanted as much time to prepare myself as possible. Glancing briefly at my watch, I tried not to sigh; I really shouldn't have got here so early. My guest wasn't late, but I was rapidly becoming impatient with the waiting. I just wanted to get it over and done with.

I watched as groups of customers walked into the shop and headed straight for the counter, none of them appeared to be my fiance. Not that I knew what my fiance would have looked like. I wasn't even sure what I had imagined him looking like and -

My heart gave a painful screech, eyes locked onto the man who walked into the coffee shop when he had no business being here. I wanted, more than anything, for the ground to open up and swallow me whole at the sight of Marcus standing, and looking completely out of place, in the doorway. His eyes scanned the coffee shop and I bargained with Salazar himself that his eyes would skim right over me without him noticing me. The last thing I needed was for him to approach me and to question me outright on my sudden silence; it had been over a week since I'd responded to one of his letters.

Salazar refused to smile down at me. The moment Marcus's eyes locked onto me, he was cutting through the room with large steps. I really didn't need to be stuck in the middle of a conversation with Marcus at the same time that I was supposed to be meeting my fiance for the first time. That would be the most horrendous luck and yet, it would also make sense that it would happen to me.

"Clio," Marcus greeted as he settled himself across from me. He adjusted himself on the chair, looking the picture of ease.

"Marcus," I returned as if I hadn't been avoiding him. "What are you doing here?"

"What am I doing here?" he repeated, eyebrows drawing together.

He didn't answer me straight away. Rather, he reached into his pocket and drew out an envelope, holding it towards me so I could get a better look. I recognised the handwriting in a heartbeat; the small neat cursive was Cali's. Why was Cali -

Lifting my eyes to his, I tried not to falter when I realised his gaze was fixed resolutely on my face. "What is going on?"

"You didn't open the letter I sent you? The one I asked your sister to hand to you?" he asked, but it sounded like a statement. When I shook my head, Marcus tucked the letter back into his pocket. "Somehow that doesn't surprise me."

And what more confirmation did I need? The man sitting in front of me, the man who had caused me so much heartache and stress over the last few days, was my fiance. He was both the man that I was ferociously attracted to, and the man I had been worried about abandoning.

"Did you know?" I asked, knowing it was a stupid question to ask. Of course, he knew.

I expected Marcus to call me out on it. But he didn't.

Instead, he said, "Of course I knew. My father told me as soon as it was all set." When my answering silence lengthened, he realised, "You didn't know."

"No," I said softly, fidgeting with my fingers, "I didn't know."

"So that comment about being a homemaker?" Marcus trailed off meaningfully.

"No, I didn't - I didn't know, I didn't mean anything by it."

We settled into a contemplative silence. I had no idea what Marcus was thinking about, but my mind was running. There was the relief that I hadn't been unfaithful to a so-called fiance, that the man I was so attracted to was the man I was betrothed to. And yet, there was that uncertainty; if he had known all this time, then why before now had he never made himself known? The longer I sat in silent contemplation, the more excuses my mind was supplied and I liked each one far less than the one before.

Needing to fill the silence, if only to stop my thoughts from escalating, I asked, "If you knew, why didn't you say anything? Or tell me?"

He didn't falter, his response was direct, "You're younger than me, and that's something I was aware of. Two years is quite a gap when you're at school, but now you're not."

His eyes were practically molten mercury in the way they held mine. I forced myself to hold his gaze, refusing to be cowed or to give even some inkling of how rattled I was by the revelations. Regardless, Marcus had beautiful eyes that contrasted sharply with his dark features.

"I'm not in school anymore," I agreed.

Nodding once, Marcus looked away for the first time. He glanced out across the room as he mused, "And now, your sister says that you want to end the betrothal? Is that right?"

No, I didn't. Not if it was him. I didn't want to end it if it was him. If it was Marcus, I wanted him, wholeheartedly, unreservedly, I wanted him. If he would have me, that was. So why couldn't I say that? Why couldn't I shake the uncertainty? He had explained why he had kept his distance and it had made sense and yet the self-conscious doubt lingered.

Reading something into my silence, his focus returned to me once more. Eyes narrowing shrewdly, Marcus stated. "You might as well tell the truth."

It felt like a dare like he was goading and prodding me into saying the words that had been on the tip of my tongue. Almost like he thought I wouldn't be able to say them, to be vulnerable with him. And perhaps it would be difficult to admit, scary to even think about saying. But I didn't respond well to being goaded, it was one of my greatest faults. Mellie had once stated that if someone goaded me into jumping off of the astronomy tower, I probably would. This was much tamer than that, at least.

"I don't think I'd like to end it."

"You don't think?" he arched an eyebrow, unsatisfied by my response. Marcus shuffled to the front of his seat, reaching a hand out and setting it firmly on top of my own, stilling the fidgeting. "All I'm asking is for you to give it - us a go before you decide anything. If you give us a go and you decide you want out, then I'll let you go without a protest. Okay?"

"Thank you, Marcus."

We didn't linger long in the coffee shop and Marcus thanked me for taking the time to see him. I thanked him in turn for taking time out from his busy working day to meet me before I hurried home.

The moment I was safely inside, I tore through the house, ignoring each of my sisters who called out to me, asking if I was alright. Reaching my bedroom, I headed straight for the letter that I now knew Marcus had sent me and opened it. Sure enough, on the letter that my fiance had sent me, right at the bottom, he had signed it.

Patiently yours,

Marcus F.

**********

In the evening, as we normally did, all 9 of us congregated in the living room, sprawled over every available surface. It had become a tradition throughout our childhood when all we had was each other and now, it usually took both Polly and Thalia to force Cali out of her study. On the occasions where she was busy losing herself in paperwork - and there was a lot of it due to father's ineptitude and refusal to sort things out - Euta also joined in and the three had hauled our eldest sister out of the study and forced her into an armchair.

Rania and Era were slouched on the floor in front of the fireplace, playing a game of chess which we all knew Rania would win. She was always undefeated and Era's pride was the only reason she refused to accept it. Every now and then Era would make a sound of protest when Rania called her out for making illegal moves, only to be shushed by Psi who was sitting a few feet from them, resting her back against my legs as she worked on the skirt that she was embroidering by hand. Salazar knew how she had the patience for it.

Mellie, who had been missing, finally made her way into the room with mugs of tea and hot chocolate trailing after her. She dished them out without a fuss before taking her place at the coffee table. If she was following her usual pattern, today would be the day she tended to her nails by herself. Peeking up from the book I was reading, I checked that sure enough, she was working on buffing her nails so she had a smooth surface.

Evenings like this were always tranquil, and they were without a doubt my favourite. During the school year, they were always the best part of the holidays and I knew without Polly having to admit it, that she missed them terribly when we were all away. At least now, with both Cali and me out of school, we could spend the evenings with her.

The peace of the atmosphere was shattered by the floo suddenly switching on. I shared a silent look with Cali; we weren't expecting anyone. Rania and Era gathered the chess board quickly, scrambling out of the way as the unexpected guests entered the living room. It felt as though it had been an age since there was a single masculine presence in our home. Or rather, now that Terence and Cali were back together, he was fairly regularly in our home, but he felt like family like he belonged. But it was the second man with him that threw me, threw us all. Marcus Flint had a very masculine presence, one that the entire home was not used to.

Cali had the sense to stand and greet our guests, even as she swatted at Terence for not having the forethought to send a letter ahead. My sisters moved around me, looking at Marcus who only appeared to have eyes for me. Blindly reaching for my bookmark, I marked my place and struggled to understand why he was here, in my home, especially when I was dressed in my pyjamas. But there was no time to be embarrassed at being caught so unaware. And yet I was. I felt like I'd been caught off guard and if the small smile on his face was any indication, he knew it.

Averting my eyes from him, I looked at my pseudo-brother-in-law, who was thoroughly accepting his chastisement even whilst he looked adoring at Cali. I suppose it made sense that Terence and Marcus were acquainted or even friendly. Even if Marcus was 2 years older than Terence, they both had been on the house quidditch team together.

I wasn't aware how, or even when, and perhaps I should have paid more attention, but my sisters slowly disappeared one by one, making various excuses to leave the room. Cali and Terence were the last to leave, but they did leave. From over Marcus's shoulder, Terence offered me a cheeky wink and a thumbs up, which I really did not appreciate. Little did he know that I was staving off the urge to curse them all out and Cali certainly wouldn't dive in front of any curse that I sent towards him.

"How are you?" Marcus's question pierced my thoughts. I turned towards his voice, realising that he had made himself comfortable on the sofa at my side. Subtly trying to eye the space between us, I realised that we hadn't ever been this close before and I swore I could feel the heat radiating from his body, calling out for me to touch him. If only to link my fingers through his. Just by looking at his hands, I knew they would easily dwarf mine.

"I'm alright," I assured him, offering him a smile. "I'm planning on killing each of my sisters, but apart from that I'm good."

"I refuse to be your alibi." He sounded solemn, but there it was again, that phantom smile that told me he was joking. I was struck then with the desire to see him smile, wholly and fully. Without a doubt, I knew it would be glorious.

"Some fiance you are," I shot back.

He shrugged easily, "I'll visit you regularly in Azkaban."

How could I not smile at that? No longer caring that I probably looked a state, that this was probably the first time he saw me without makeup, and I was in my most comfortable - and therefore my most unattractive pyjamas - I wanted him to stay. I wanted to integrate Marcus into the fold of my large family so effortlessly that his presence no longer stood out in our home. Something told me he wouldn't protest to that either.

"Was there a reason you decided to drop by? Or did Terence just drag you along?"

"I think it's more accurate to say I tagged along with him," he confessed. "I wanted to ask if you'd like to go out with me tomorrow night? There's something I'd like to show you."

Despite my hesitance and Salazar, I hated that there was still that inkling of insecurity-driven hesitance, I agreed in a heartbeat, "I'd like that."

"Good." Marcus's smile widened, clearly pleased by my easy answer. I was right; his smile was glorious.

More than a little awed by his smile, and the way the magnetic pull towards him intensified, I cleared my throat. Averting my eyes from him, I glanced around the room and hoped that one of my sisters or even Terence would walk into the room, to at least give me someone else to look at or to focus on. But they didn't. Of course, they didn't.

Needing to fill the silence, I asked, "Fancy a tour?"

"A tour?" he repeated, sounding amused.

I didn't know if he was amused by my adamant refusal to look at him, or by my strange offer, but I was cursing myself internally regardless. A tour? I had offered him a tour of our family home? What exactly was there for him to tour at this time of day?

"I-"

"Sure, let's go on this tour," he said before I could take back the offer. He rose to his feet, looking expectantly down at me. When I finally stood, drawing my hands together in front of me and not really knowing how to begin, he wondered aloud, "What happened to Clio the spitfire?"

"She's still here," I insisted. "She's just ... acclimatising."

**********

I really shouldn't have been stressing out this much, and yet I was. I knew better than to give in to my worries because my mind would only spiral, but that did absolutely nothing to stop me from fidgeting with my hair as I stared at my reflection in the vanity mirror. Maybe it was time I called for Thalia, who was the one with the knack for managing even the most unruly hair. Salazar, if I thought I'd been nervous for our not-date, that was nothing compared to the way I felt now. Was it possible to be sick from anxiety? If it was, then I was on the verge of it.

"Come on," I mumbled to myself reaching for a clear gloss. Leaning closer to the mirror, I swiped a coating over my lips. "I need to get a grip. This isn't a big deal."

"I take it that this one is a date?" Psi's voice drew me from my contemplations.

Turning in the direction of her voice, I found her standing in the doorway with Cali, wearing the most infuriating grin on her face. But, she hadn't been wrong. This one was a date, even if neither of us had used the word to describe our evening. Psi teasingly gestured towards me when my silence grew.

"Salazar, I've never seen you so nervous before."

Not appreciating her remark, I reached for my wand and cast a spell to chuck one of my pillows at her. Psi caught it against her chest, laughing as she launched it back onto my bed.

"You need to leave," I said, pointing my lip gloss threateningly towards her.

"Fine, fine." She shot me yet another teasing smile, one that had Cali taking the precaution to begin ushering her away. "Remember, no one cares nowadays if you're not a virgin when you get married. I'm sure Marcus won't care."

"Psi!" Cali chastised, swatting her on the arm and started to tug her away.

I spoke over her and called out to my retreating sister, "You're only 14! What do you know about any of that?"

Left on my own once more, I let out a long steadying breath. Checking my reflection just once more, I forced myself to stand and walk away from my vanity. Choosing a bag and a coat, I finished getting ready before making my way downstairs. I tried to pretend that I wasn't nervous so that if anyone looked at me, they would think I was the picture of calm. But I wavered - for only a moment - at the top of the stairs as Marcus's voice drifted up towards me. He was already here. Curling my hand around the bannister, I tightened my grip on it to keep myself steady. How was I going to cope with this feeling for the rest of my life? I started at the thought ... the rest of my life - if that was what he wanted -

"Clio," Marcus greeted, spying me as I lingered by the stairs. He glanced away from Cali and Terence as if waiting for me to join them.

I took the hint, crossing the room to stand at his side as I returned his greeting. "I didn't realise you would be here so soon."

"I wasn't waiting long," he assured me, peering down at me, "nothing to apologise for."

"I wasn't apologising."

A small smile played at the corner of his mouth at my words as he acknowledged, "You weren't."

Terence, who I had an inkling was enjoying himself, pointedly cleared his throat, shattering our locked eye contact. Glancing away from Marcus I found that, sure enough, Terence was grinning at us. When I raised a silent eyebrow at him, his smile disappeared but after having known him for years, I knew he was still amused.

"Remember what we said," Terence said in an authoritative tone, clearly enjoying being the pseudo man of the house, "have her home before curfew."

"We don't have a curfew," Cali said, rolling her eyes in exasperation.

But Terence was enjoying himself too much as he insisted, "And you treat her well young man, or I'll come for you."

Marcus just rolled his eyes, not rising to the younger man's bait. Instead, he just pointed a warning finger towards him saying, "Watch it, Higgs."

"Hey, I'm on the inside here, you're the one trying to make your way into this family," Terence protested, failing to hold back his smile.

Cali mercifully decided to intervene before Terence could say something else, taking him by the arm and escorting him away. From over her shoulder, she called out for us to have fun and muttered something to Terence which had him all too eagerly following after her. I scrunched my nose in disgust; something told me I didn't want to know what they'd said.

Now that I was left alone with Marcus, I almost wished that Terence had continued to run his mouth because at least then I would have some time to think about how I was going to navigate tonight. Not that my brain worked all too well when it came to Marcus.

"Shall we go?" he asked, gesturing towards the front door.

"Sure," I said, following his lead.

I kept my silence as we made it out of the front door, curious as to where he was taking me. Every time I had thought about tonight - and I thought about it frequently - I'd always assumed that we would take the floo. Stepping out into the darkened night, I matched my paces with Marcus as we reached the apparition point. Glancing expectantly up at him, I waited for him to tell me where we were going.

He outstretched an arm towards me, "Is this okay?"

"Yes," I said, despite not knowing what he meant by this. Not that I had to wait long.

Marcus looped a strong arm around my waist, drawing me easily into his side. I stumbled a little in my step, catching myself with a hand on a chest - a rather impressive chest if my hand wasn't deceiving me - to keep myself upright.

"Sorry about that, I forget you're a tiny little thing," he said, glancing down at me to make sure that I was alright.

"Anyone is tiny compared to you," I shot back, knowing I sounded a tad defensive. "I'm one of the tallest of my sisters."

"Tiny compared to me," he insisted. "Don't pretend you don't like the difference in our size."

Feeling caught out and surprised that he'd even noticed it, I scoffed. "Don't pretend you don't like it."

"I'm not pretending anything." And there it was, that wide smile. The one that made me want to smile in return. "We should get a move on, or else we'll be squabbling here all night."

"I don't squabble, you squabble."

Marcus tried to stave off a chuckle but failed miserably. Without another word, he apparated us away and we appeared at our destination. He didn't release me right away. Rather, he kept his arm around me, watching as I studied the open field we had wound up in. This was not what I'd expected and I had severely overdressed for it. Yet, I didn't feel out of place.

"Come on," Marcus said, removing his arm from around me. He offered it to me instead, and I took his hand in a heartbeat. "Let me help you up this hill, your heels don't exactly fit here."

"You didn't warn me about what we were doing."

"It's alright," he said as we started walking. He linked his fingers through mine and I swore I could hear my heartbeat in my ears when he glanced down at me. I had been right; his hand dwarfed mine easily. "I like them."

"Of course you do."

We finally made it to the top of the hill and I curiously studied the telescope that was set up, ready for a night of stargazing. Without needing any prompting, I settled down on the blanket that was spread out beside it and spread my legs out in front of me. Marcus headed towards the telescope and adjusted it. Once he had calibrated it as he wanted, he helped me to my feet and let me have a look.

Peering through the telescope, I studied the stars in the sky. I couldn't identify the constellation we were looking at, but that was not the most prominent thing on my mind. Rather, I was focused on the fact that this felt like it meant something, to have an astrologist show you the stars. Did Marcus like the stars because he saw himself in them? Because Salazar knew the stars reminded me of the way his eyes looked when he was really truly smiling; his grey eyes shone like starlight in his otherwise dark features.

Straightening up, I turned towards Marcus to ask him what constellation it was. Only, the question died on my tongue when I found him settled on the blanket, studying me closely. He was doing nothing to hide his admiring gaze.

"What?" I asked, walking away from the telescope to sit across from him.

"It's nothing," he assured me.

"It's never nothing." Stretching my legs in front of me, I crossed them at the ankle and waited. When he showed no intention of saying anything, I asked him a question that had wracked my brain, "Marcus? Did you want this? The betrothal?"

Leaning back to rest on his flattened palms, Marcus tipped his head towards the night sky for a long moment of contemplation. He straightened up once more as he admitted, "Not when I was younger. When I was younger I struggled to understand why our parents had decided to do it and I remember arguing with my father about it when I found out in my fifth year."

"That makes sense." His eyes sought mine out, but I was busy studying my fingernails. I couldn't look at him as I asked, "And now?"

"Now after getting to know you, I see it as an opportunity." His fingertips, warm and startling, brushed against my bare ankle, making me lift my head. I found his head bowed as he watched his thumb and index finger trace random patterns on my skin. "Now I think it's an opportunity for us to spend some time together and get to know each other better. It doesn't mean that we have to do anything or be anything to anyone. There won't be any forcing you in this, I promise."

"Thank you," I said softly, the words struggling to come out of my parched throat.

He peered up at me from under his lashes and Salazar, his eyes really were like starlight as they fixed so steadily onto me. Marcus warned, "I'm going to be blunt here."

"Go for it."

"I'm attracted to you," he confessed, his palm now settled comfortably over my ankle, his thumb rubbing in a barely-there back and forth motion on the bottom of my calf. I swore my skin felt alight. "And I'd like to give this a real go if that's okay with you?"

It was okay with me. It was majorly okay with me. I wanted these quiet moments with him, I even wanted to squabble with him. And yet, it was my pride that had me saying, "I'll think about it."

Marcus accepted my answer with a steady nod. We settled into a comfortable silence.

**********

My days were passing in a daze tinged with thoughts of Marcus. Not that all the thoughts were positive. Or rather, thoughts of Marcus were positive, and the wispy images my mind conjured of a future together were everything I'd ever wanted and more. And yet there was always that lingering doubt that plagued my mind that maybe once he knew the truth about my parents that it wouldn't matter, he would decide it wasn't worth the hassle. Or maybe that revelation would come from his parents who according to the rumours were just as image-conscious as pureblooded Slytherin-legacy parents tended to be? And Marcus would inevitably be made to bow to their whims to preserve his own mental sanity, and I certainly couldn't fault him for that.

"Rania's worried about you, you know," Cali's statement broke through the cloud of my thoughts. When I glanced expectantly at her, she crossed the room to sit beside me on the sofa. "I think most of them are; you're being really quiet."

"Just because I haven't told any of them off recently doesn't mean that there's something wrong," I tried to reassure her.

I knew from the way she was looking at me that she didn't buy it. But she didn't push. Calliope remained seated at my side, turning her body so she was sitting crossed-legged and facing me. She had that knowing look on her face.

"If there's anything you want to talk about, I'm here," she stated as if I didn't already know it. She was too giving, always too available to all of us. How could I talk to her?

No doubt Calliope expected me to dismiss her, to state that there was nothing wrong. It certainly was something that I tended to do, to keep her at a distance, to show no sign of weakness. It made sense, my way of thinking, when I remembered that girl with compassionate eyes, eyes that were so different to the rest of us because she'd had the fortune of inheriting her mother's eyes, had been the one person father had always pitted me against. He made no secret of the fact that he wanted to raise us as rivals, likely to keep Calliope on her toes, to properly shape her for her birthright. So how could I not feel inferior to her? To the girl whose father was stolen away from her by my birth?

And yet, that was all overpowered by the years we had grown together, side by side as if we were true-blooded sisters. Calliope was and always had been shelter and security, and the first true friend I'd ever had. How could I turn to anyone else for support when I knew she was there with a listening ear and honest words? Only Cali was brave enough to tell me the truth, even if she knew it wasn't what I wanted to hear.

"Yeah, actually, there's something I wanted to talk about," I finally answered, straightening my shoulders. I mirrored her posture, turning to face her and crossing her legs. Peeking around the room, I silently prayed that none of our sisters decided they wanted attention.

Her eyes widened slightly at my unexpected answer before she schooled her features. Softly, she asked, "What's wrong?"

"It's Marcus." I paused for a moment, trying to figure out how to word what I wanted to say. "We agreed that we would give our relationship if it even is a relationship, a go without any pressure from the betrothal. He's assured me that if I want to, he'll release me from it."

Cali read between the lines, "But you don't want that, do you?"

"No." My confession was a soft murmur as if it was a closely guarded secret. "But I'm not certain that I can continue to spend time with him like this because it'll make it more difficult when I ask him to release me."

"You don't want him to release you? But you're going to ask him to do it regardless?" Eyebrows furrowed in confusion, Cali shook her head as she admitted, "I'm going to need you to explain this to me because it's not making any sense."

"I just... can't."

"Why not?" she persisted, recognising my hesitance and knowing that if she didn't probe further, I would be content to brush right past it. "You like him, don't you? So what's the problem?"

"I don't think I should do it." I felt like I was going around in circles, but it was the truth. "My blood makes me inferior, you know that. And I doubt father was honest when he forged these betrothals. Do you honestly think he approached the Flints by telling them he had a relationship proposal between the heir of their family and his illegitimate spare?"

"Stop it." Her voice was firm. "You are not inferior and you know that's the case. The identity of who your parents are is not a reflection of you, you have to know that?"

She waited for an answer, one that I wasn't sure I could give her. Except, if I had already come this far, then how much worse could it be to bare myself to her? "He always used to tell me that I was in case he needed someone to step in because of something happening to you. That I had to be prepared to take the place of the sister who deserved it all."

She sighed harshly, stopping herself from cursing. Leaning towards me, Calliope snagged my hands in hers, holding them steady as she lowered her head to match my eyes. She spoke earnestly, stressing the importance of her words, "Listen to me, father was a horrible, horrible man, who inflicted more damage onto us than he probably realised. Not that he would care. Do not give that man the satisfaction of ruining whatever happiness you're so close to accepting."

"I-"

"He doesn't deserve it," she insisted, cutting my protests short. "He has no right to be tainting your joy like this, no right. It'll be hard, but you need to focus on yourself. On what you what and what you feel. Whether that's giving things a go with Marcus or not, that's up to you to decide but don't you dare let father decide for you. You're worth ten times more than father ever was."

Nodding hesitantly, I tried to swallow past the lump in my throat. Calliope's concerned eyes searched my features as I asked, "How are you so good at this?"

"Parentification. Paired with eldest daughter trauma," she acknowledged with a self-deprecating smile. "But I also love each of you more than I love myself, so that helps."

**********

The next morning had me waking up almost as early as Euta who had the knack of waking up naturally at the crack of dawn. I was filled with a determination to do one very specific, very important thing, but I had to pace myself. It took more effort than I had originally anticipated to go about my morning routine at a usual pace, rather than rushing through my shower and breakfast. But I managed it, even if I was getting the most strange looks from Mellie and Era who both shared multiple fleeting glances throughout our morning meal. Not that I paid them much heed.

Once I had finished eating, I headed to my bedroom and set about getting ready for the day. A glance at the clock told me that I needed to take my time or else I would be ready to go and it would be far too early in Marcus's work day for me to disturb him. And I fully planned to interrupt his day. Whilst putting my outfit together, I briefly contemplated wearing the heels that I knew he liked but recognised that it was overkill. It was fine, I'd just have to make sure to learn the other things that he liked.

Sitting in front of the mirror, I set about on my make-up, making sure to keep it light so it didn't look like I'd put too much effort into getting ready. Salazar, I was certain that this was the most effort I'd ever exerted whilst preparing to head out.

A series of knocks on my closed bedroom door sounded, and before I could answer, it was pushed open and Thalia and Mellie appeared in the doorway, armed with their respective kits for their respective talents. I watched them through the mirror with narrowed eyes that they pretended not to notice.

"Keep the scowling to yourself," Thalia declared, setting herself up behind me and reaching for my hair brush. "You'll get frown lines on your make-up."

Melliei reached for my hands and searched my nails, tutting at the state of them. When I went to take my hand from hers, she insisted, "You need all the help you can get."

"Is this what happens when I go soft on you lot for a few days?" I demanded without any heat, my heart full of affection for them.

They didn't even bother to respond and continued to work in silence. It was as if my preparations for the day were a spectacle for the entire house, with my sisters one by one congregating in my bedroom and making themselves comfortable to watch me be prepped and primed.

"You all know I don't like people in my bedroom," I said warningly and again, they paid me no heed. Salazar, I was losing my touch.

"What in Merlin's name is going on in here?" Calliope, the last of my sisters to walk in asked as she surveyed the occupants of my room.

"They're bugging me and I need to go."

Rolling my eyes dryly, I stood at last, once both Thalia and Mellie gave me an approving nod. Rania held out my handbag for me and I accepted it with a grateful smile. Looping it over my shoulder, I gave my reflection the once over and then nodded approvingly. It would have to do.

"She's off to kiss Marcus," Polly piped up, looking the picture of innocence.

"I'm not going to kiss him, I'm going to visit him." She had the nerve to laugh at my response and I pointed a finger warningly at her. "Polly, stop it."

Era tagged along, "So you're telling me that if he wanted to kiss you, you wouldn't kiss him?"

"She didn't exactly say that," Psi answered for me as if she had read my mind.

"Look, we're not having this conversation with so many young ears about," I cut in firmly, my voice shutting down all the chatter.

I sent a silent distress call to Cali, locking my eyes onto hers, and she responded instantly. She corralled our sisters, forcing them out of the room despite their protests. They were all too interested in my business.

Over her shoulder, Cali wished me, "Good luck!" on her way out.

Finally left alone, I took a short moment to compose myself and then I was off. Making my way out of the house, I made sure to avoid my sisters, not wanting to get caught up in another interaction whilst walking to the apparition point. Miraculously I made it without much fuss and apparated to Marcus's workplace.

Finding myself outside of the building, I let myself in and climbed the stairs to the second floor where his office was. His assistant who was sitting at his desk, working on something, briefly raised his head to look at me and offered me a fleeting smile before returning his attention to the papers in front of him. Continuing on my way to Marcus's office, I forced myself to put one foot in front of the other, even though I wanted to turn and leave. I could feel the embarrassment already creeping through my veins. But I had to do this. What was a little moment of embarrassment in the greater scheme of things?

Reaching the door, I knocked and waited. Marcus's voice filtered through, "Gerald, I'm a bit busy at the minute, I don't want interruptions."

Oh. Maybe I hadn't timed this as well as I had believed. But, I had come too far already to turn back now.

Clearing my throat, I said loudly, "It's not Gerald."

There was an answering silence as if he hadn't heard me. Not that it lasted long. The door was opened abruptly. Looking up at Marcus in surprise, I tried not to laugh at the bewildered look on his face.

"I wasn't expecting you," he said in greeting.

"That would be because I didn't tell you I was coming," I said steadily. The bewildered expression left his features, the corner of his lips turning up.

"Come in." He stepped aside, gesturing me inside.

I didn't need to be told twice. Crossing the space of the office, I made myself comfortable at his desk, taking the seat that he had vacated. Settling comfortably, I linked my ankles together and considered the man who stood by the now-closed door. His hands were tucked into the pockets of his trousers as he watched me.

"Is it bad that I like the way you look behind my desk?" he asked at last, breaking the silence.

"No," I said slowly, a little thrown by the question. Refusing to be on the back foot, I asked, "Aren't you going to take a seat?"

"In a bit," Marcus said vaguely, taking slow steps towards me. "You didn't respond to my last two owls, Clio. You've got the most horrendous habit of disappearing when things get a bit hard."

"You're right," I acknowledged, once more feeling like I was on the back foot. "I'll work on that."

"Good. I don't know a person could become sick with worry, but you seem to cause that in me." Standing still on the other side of the desk, he regarded me with guided eyes. "What are you doing here, Clio?"

I allowed myself a single moment of hesitation before speaking. "Well - I know this is going to be a presumptuous request, but I'd like to keep this betrothal going. If you'd have me."

Marcus went to say something, falling silent when I shook my head. I wasn't yet ready to hear what he had to say.

"I want you to know some things before you make your decision," I explained. Hidden under the dark wood of his desk, I fidgeted with my rings and spoke steadily, "I'm not - I'm illegitimate. All of us, apart from Calliope are illegitimate and I don't know how your parents would feel about you being joined with the daughter of a mistress and an adulterous husband, so if that's an issue I think we need to stop here. I don't think my heart could take it if it became a problem in the future."

"It's not as well-guarded a secret as your family likes to think," Marcus responded, voice gentle as he walked around the desk. Resting against it, he held my eyes as he looked down at me. "I always knew and frankly I don't give a fuck about it."

"You don't?"

He shook his head, offering me that same small smile as he reached out to brush his fingertips over the back of my hand. "My only regret is that I didn't get the chance to hit your father just once. Terence said he was a piece of work."

"He was." It was strange, how light I felt on the inside. I felt like a colossal weight had been lifted from my chest and I could breathe easier. Keeping my eyes fixed on him, I asked, "You're sure it's not a problem?"

"Positive," he assured me, taking my hand in his.

Before I could say anything else, he used our joined hands to ease me towards him. I searched his face questioningly, not having to wait long when he leaned down towards me, closing the distance between us. My eyes flickered shut and Marcus kissed me then, gently and drawing it out. His free hand came up to frame my face, keeping me close as the kiss lingered.

He drew back a short distance, far enough to smile blindly as he assured me, "This is my agreement if that wasn't clear. Of course, I'll have you."

**********

3 YEARS LATER

If I was being completely honest, and Marcus knew I was never one to mince my words, I didn't understand the point of a rehearsal dinner. I didn't understand the point when his mother had insisted we have one, and now, at the actual dinner, I still didn't see the point. Yes, members of the bridal and the groom's party were mingling and the last-minute hitches could be worked through, but I really didn't think it was worth the headache that it was giving me.

Seated at the table, I barely stopped myself from holding my head in irritation as I overheard Marcus's mother try to strong-arm Rania into allowing her to speak to the caterer. Unfortunately, she didn't know that Rania could be the most stubborn out of us all when she wanted to be, and unfortunately for Marcus's mother, Rania's sole responsibility was keeping her at bay.

"I knew this would be one large headache," I said with a sigh, turning to address Marcus who was sitting at my side. He didn't respond to my words and instead set a steadying hand on my knee. His eyes were narrowed, fixed on something else. "Marcus?"

"Sorry, love, I'll be right back." He squeezed my knee, offering me a kiss on the temple when I looked questioningly at him. His voice was tight as he spoke, "I need to have a word with my father."

I went to protest, wanting to ask if everything was okay, but I held myself back. Instead, I watched as Marcus made his way through the room, acknowledging our guests when they approached him, but his focus was elsewhere. He tore an impressive figure as he strode through the room, silently sending out a message to leave him be as he approached his father. Instantly it all made sense. Jaw clenched and curling my hands into fists at my side, I forced myself to stay still, to hold myself back so I didn't make a scene. I trusted Marcus to handle everything.

And he did handle it. He towered over his father who had been in the middle of saying something to Polly - something bigoted and hateful no doubt - as she stood beside Thalia. Seemingly out of nowhere, the Nott boy appeared out of the crowd and even the usually reserved boy look angry, jaw clenched harshly as he ushered my younger sisters away, his hands hovering just short of touching Thalia. From afar, it looked like Marcus was talking calmly, and pleasantly even to his father, but I knew better. After all, I had been the one that witnessed his confrontation with his father when he had dared to comment on Polly's status as a squib. The colour faded from Mr Flint's face, as he stormed off.

Marcus moved to return to his side. Only this time, he was apprehended by one of my sisters. Mellie tucked herself behind his impressive frame, speaking quietly to him and saying something that had Marcus nodding reassuringly before he sent her off with a gentle touch on her arm. And to think, he had been worried about having so many sisters.

When he finally returned to my side, Marcus dropped into his seat with a sigh. He declared in a no-nonsense tone, "My father is not invited to the wedding anymore."

"If you're sure you won't miss him."

"I won't." And that was that. With yet another sigh, Marcus leaned in to speak softly for my ears, "Mellie's asked me to keep Cassius at bay for a bit."

"Salazar, what has Warrington done now?" I asked, reaching for my glass. I took a much-needed sip.

"He wants to marry her," he declared as if it was news. "And he caught me and Terence a few days ago for advice."

Searching the crowd, I found Mellie who was currently doing her best to slip between Rania and Era to remain undetected from her boyfriend. Trouble in paradise, it seemed. Sometimes it felt like there was always one couple squabbling every time the now large extended family got together. But maybe that was to be expected now that five of us were paired off. Euta definitely had the right idea; if you were in a long-distance relationship every moment you were in each other's presence was treasured and you looked over the little things. Her quidditch player boyfriend certainly didn't like squabbling with her either.

"Apparently it's a tradition," Marcus said, reaching for my hand and holding it steady, "to struggle with getting you Selman women down the aisle."

Rolling my eyes for him to see, I returned to my observations and had to hold back a laugh as Mellie used Psi as a physical barrier to keep herself from having to have an important conversation. Sometimes she was ridiculous. And before I could continue my people-watching, Marcus prompted me to stand and used our joined hands to draw me away from the busy room to somewhere much quieter.

Finally, away from all the watching eyes and the hundreds of questions, I leaned all too readily into Marcus's embrace. He drew me into his arms, holding me close. Burrowing my nose into his shoulder, I smiled when I felt him press a kiss to my forehead. Closing my eyes, I let the contentment wash over me. In our time apart, I'd missed these quiet pleasures.

Marcus called my name softly, his lips by my ear. When I hummed questioningly, reluctant to draw away even to talk. "Remind me again whose idea it was that we only see each other for wedding-related stuff in the month leading up to the wedding?"

"Apparently it's a tradition in your family," I said, huffing out a laugh against his shoulder. "Your mother was persistent."

"I shouldn't have caved," he grumbled to himself. "Let's just enjoy this moment of peace whilst we can."

He condemned us then, with his own words. It seemed that my family - well ours, I supposed - had migrated out from the main hall, needing to have discussions amongst themselves so as not to make a scene. It was Calliope and Terence who led the way, scolding Era and Blaise for their bullheadedness. Salazar, they were a good fit.

"Salazar's soul, I'm close to snapping," I murmured warningly to Marcus as we both turned towards the intruders. Terence offered us an apologetic look, ready to steer them away. Pulling back from Marcus, I said, "You might as well stay and we'll try and keep the peace."

"Don't snap," Marcus spoke softly for my ears, rubbing a hand over my back to soothe me. "You know you regret it the moment your temper clears."

"Why are you always so good?" I complained, closing my eyes when he kissed my forehead.

"One of us needs to be sane," he teased, reluctantly pulling himself completely away from me.

"No one in this family is sane. Haven't you learnt that yet?"

____________________

So? What did you think?

The next one shot will be posted/should be posted on the 10th. Here are the hints (and there aren't that many).

* A regarded hero

* Pureblooded 

* An auror