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Chapter Text

September 23, 1995

Phoebe Black closed her eyes in Frustration as the squeals of Parkinson reached her ears, as the older student was passing through the common room. “What is she about now?” 

The blonde next to her walked over to the bulletin board, knocking fifth years out of the way. A moment later, the two seventh years were walking towards the great Hall, “a Halloween ball.” 

Phoebe laughed, “Dumbledore has lost his muggle loving mind. A ball .... with Umbridge running around. Half the school will get detention,” she scoffed, “or expelled.” 

“Yeah, what happened to that detention she gave you last week? For,” she trailed off, unaware of the actual reason. 

“For not knowing my place,” Phoebe rolled her eyes, “first she tried to spike my tea, and when I called her out on it. She tried to make me write lines. With a blood quill.” Amelia glanced at the girls pale hands I’m sorry, eyes snapping back up when Phoebe spoke again, “so I gently reminded her that I was a member of the sacred twenty-eight...unlike her, and that my blood is much more pure than hers...then I threatened to write uncle Lucius.” 

“Oh...the ice Queen strikes.” 

———-xXx————-

October 21, 1995 

“Know your place, you filthy little half blood.” 

Phoebe shut her book with a snap, before standing from her seat in the library, to make way to the cocked that were continually growing louder, “are you quite finished?” Draco, Parkinson, and Nott all turned to look at her in surprise, allowing her to continue, “so grow up. She did nothing to you.” 

“She thought she could ask my Draco to the ball. Like he’d ever touch a half blood. Or a Hufflepuff .” 

“Pansy, your racism is showing,” she turned her head towards the third year, “go.” Once the girl was gone, she glared at her blonde cousin, “you disgust me.” 

“Shut up, blood traitor.” 

With a wave of her left hand, Phoebe smirked as Pansy Parkinson instantly grasped at her throat, fear filling her eyes as the older student stepped closer, “you will do well to remember, Parkinson, that you are below me...in blood...and in standing with the Dark Lord. I would be incredibly careful if I were you.” 

————xXx————

October 23, 1995

“So, what’s this I hear about you telling you-know-who to kill Parkinson?” George was smirking, she could tell from his voice as he continued to play with her dark hair as they lay in the room of requirement. 

“That’s not even what I said,” she paused, “okay, I implied it, but still...everyone knows he’s living at Malfoy manor. She needed a little dose of reality.” 

“Harry thinks you’re a death eater.” 

She shrugged sitting up, “Potter should know that his opinion of me...matters very little.” 

————xXx———-

October 24, 1995

“Potter is stalking me.” 

George laughed, “he wanted to talk to you.” She raised a single dark eyebrow to show her interest, so he continued, “about your parents.” 

“Pass. You can tell him to quit trying to find me in dark corners now.” 

He gripped her skirt clad hips, “one condition...say yes.” 

“To what?” He said nothing, his mischievous grin glinted at her through the moon light, “okay. Yes. Now what?”

“To being my date to the ball, of course.”

“A lady doesn’t accept any dates without at least seven days notice.” 

“Too late. You said yes. Keep that answer in mind at the ball, miss Black.” 

He pressed his lips to hers before turning and strutting away, “what does that even mean, Weasley?!” 

————xXx————-

October 2 8, 1995

The night of the ball, Phoebe slipped on her emerald dress, choosing to pair it with black nails and the emerald ring that once belong to her grandmother Walburga, before leaving her dark hair in its natural curls for the night. At 6pm, she was standing near the entrance of the Great Hall with George giving her a smile not even a minute later, as he walked up dressed in a grey suit, his long hair slicked back, and the bracelet she gave him on September 1 st gracing his wrist. “You’re wearing that?”

He grinned, leaning close, “a sneaky little snake took a secret trip to the big bad muggle London this summer, and got it for me. I’m rather of it…and her.”

Her eyes twinkled as she placed her pale hand on his chest, directly over his heart, “I’m a little fond of you, too, George Weasley.” The couple stared at each other for a moment longer before she allowed him to lead her into the Great Hall and towards their seats where they were paired with his twin and a still slightly suspicious Angelina Johnson. The couple of two years shared their first official, and public, dance that evening, although the third of their evening was interrupted around 9 when Draco walked by with Parkinson, matching sneers on the fifth years’ faces, “could you do anything more to disgrace yourself?”

Phoebe pulled away from George to look at the younger blonde, “excuse you?”

“You’re right. My mistake, I should have asked what else you were planning to do to disgrace this family. You are not worthy of being a Black. Father will be very disappointed to hear about the company you continue to keep…even after the lessons he gave you over the summer.”

“One day, Draco, you won’t be able to run to daddy every time something upsets you.”

“I doubt you have much more time with yours, well, that is, if he had ever wanted anything to do with you. Turns out, a good way to get out of being forced to play house with a blood traitor whore is to get yourself locked up in Azkaban. ” Her eyes narrowed at his words, giving him the reaction, he had been looking for, “Honestly, I’d be surprised if you even survive the Christmas holidays. Joining your mum sooner than later, filthy blood traitor.”

George stepped closer to the Malfoy heir, fist clenched, before his girlfriend put a hand upon his chest, “let’s take a walk.” He said nothing, but allowed her to lead him towards the entrance of the courtyard, her eyes blankly took in the decorations that enchanted the area to look like a wooden bridge, complete with pumpkins and the eerie feeling of being watched. “You okay?”

“Are you?” She untwined their hands to wipe the single tear that fell from her grey eyes, as she nodded. “You’re not. C’mere.” Phoebe allowed herself to feel safe in his arms as he hugged her, but refused to let any more tears fall, not wanting to show weakness to the most important person in her life.

“I don’t think I’m going to be safe any longer.”

He was silent as they pulled apart, before leading her to a bench already covered in a warning charm, “I don’t think you ever really were.”

She gave a humorless laugh, “You’re probably right. It’s a good thing I have the McKinnon fortune at my disposable. I guess I could move in with my father, pretend we have any sort of relationship or that I haven’t been hiding from him since he escaped. We could be fugitives together.”

“Or you could live with me.”

“What?”

“Yeah. Live with me. Fred and me. We have the flat above the joke shop we found, we’re just waiting to graduate, ya know, before we tell mum. Fred wouldn’t mind.”

“George, don’t you think you need to ask him, first?”

“We’re twins. We share. ” He paused at the look she gave him, “Well, not everything, but he won’t mind. It’ll be fun. The sneaky snake slithering into the lion’s den. Dramatic.”

“Pornographic.”

“If you want it to be. I mean, I’m up for anything. But you have to tell my mum. She’ll be so shocked that I have a bird that she won’t go mental.”

She rolled her eyes, “shut up, George. You know that woman only wants the best for you.”

“That’s you.” She merely shrugged in reply, “I’m serious, Phe, you are the best thing to happen to me…besides my dashing good looks and wonderful sense of humor.”

“Oh, let’s not forget that ego you have either.”

“There’s that smile, I love so much.” He caught her eyes as his thumb touched the corner of her lips, “say yes again.”

“No.”

“C’mon, love.”

“George, just tell me. I honestly cannot handle any more surprises tonight. Heck, Snape will probably swoop in any minute now to glower at us.”

“Then you better say yes quick.”

“George.”

“Phoebe.”

She sighed, “Fine. Yes, you prat.”

“Fantastic! So, first we need to talk to the order, so you can get the location of headquarters. Potter will probably put up a fuss, but we’ll just put him in a body bind and get Gin to threaten him with the bat bogeys. Mum will probably think your pregnant, but that’s an easy fix. We need to visit Dumbledore .”

“George. What did I agree to?”

“Marrying me, of course.”

She sputtered, pulling him to a stop as he had begun dragging her back towards the entrance, “I’m sorry. Marriage? Stop messing with me.”

“I’ve never been more serious in my life. I proposed. You said yes. Simple.”

“George. I would prefer our engagement to not include the lingering cloud of imminent death looming over my head. Also, you didn’t actually ask. You don’t even have a ring. It is sweet that you want to help, but by graduation I’ll be safe from my house mates and I won’t have to worry about tip toeing around Uncle Lucius as I won’t be returning. I just have to survive the rest of the year.”

“What happens then? Graduation. Then you won’t be protected here.”

“George, I’m not safe here either. Especially once I declare myself.”

“Declare yourself? What are you declaring?”

“That I’m fighting on the side of the light. I may not always agree with the way Dumbledore runs things, but I would be stupid not to see the power he holds, and the protection he can give me once I join the order. No more pretenses or subtle motions. I’ll know what danger I’m in, and I’ll be prepared.”

“All the more reason to marry me.”

“You haven’t even thought this through, George!”

He sighed, bringing their conjoined hands up where he pressed his lips to hers, before allowing them to gently separate. “I have. In fact,” he got down on one knee in front of her, the light from the courtyard entrance illuminating his features, “Phoebe Celeste Black, I think I fell in love with you the first time I saw you. Your hair fighting to escape the rubber band you had it in. You looking at the castle in awe as we rode the boats. Then in third year how sad you looked when you watched your cousin get put into Slytherin , knowing what the results would be. In fourth year when you punched him in the face for calling Granger what he did, as you shouted at him to ‘mind his language’,” she smiled as the ginger jokester made his voice go higher as he mocked her words, “then in fifth year, we you actually spoke to me for the first time, to praise a prank. I knew that I was a goner. Especially when you gave me that smile. Tonight, is two years since I first kissed you. Right here, surrounded by darkness with only the owls to keep us company. So,” he paused to reach into his pocket to reveal the most gorgeous antique ring she could’ve ever imagined, “I have absolutely thought this through. Phoebe Celeste Black, will you please marry me?”

She smiled, wiping the bottom of her eyes to keep the tears threatening to fall at bay, before giving him a single nod, “Yes.”

Chapter Text

     Glaring at the black, high necked, long sleeve gown that covered my body in the most suffocating way, I pulled it from my form before picking my wand up from its place on my bed. Performing the circle movement, I spoke a quiet, “multicorfors,” allowing the dress to go bright red with a low neckline and no sleeves. Using the cutting spell to knock off another seven inches of hair, I smiled as the dark curls reached just above my waist, before pulling the gown back on, and creating a split almost up to my hip. “Aunt Narcissa sure is going to love these photos.” Using muggle makeup, I applied glittery silver shadow and dark black eyeliner to emphasize my grey colored eyes, before casting another transfiguration spell, as I pointed my wand at my head, “crinus muto,” the white light encased the tresses before falling back down in gentle waves. Transfiguring the matching black heels into red, I slipped them on before using my hazel wood  wand to display the time. Ten minutes to go. “Oh bloody,” I cut myself off as I realized I had forgotten my gift for our Yule ball exchange. 

Using yet another transfiguration spell to turn a piece of parchment into a small teddy bear, I smirked before wrapping it in red and gold paper and summoning our former house elf, “dobby.” 

“Former mistress freebe.” 

“Dobby, you don’t have to call me that. Phoebe or Phe is fine. I have a favor to ask...will you deliver to ron weasley at the ball. Right after dinner, before the dancing?” 

“You got Harry potter’s  wheezy a gift?” 

I smirked, “something like that. Just don’t let him see you, please. It’s a surprise.” 

“Yes, former mistress phe.” 

He disappeared before I could correct, causing me to laugh slightly. “Now...for an actual gift,” I gasped when the idea hit me, “dragon.” Picking up a broken quill, I quickly slashed my wand towards it, “Draconifors,” grinning as the fiery Orange light appeared and a silvery blue dragon replaced the snapped quill. The Swedish shortsnort. His favorite color...even if he does try to pretend that it’s orange. Placing it on top of my bare shoulder, I quickly stuffed my wand in a pocket I had in the side of my dress, before sliding my finger along the cut to charm it to only open for myself. After another glance in the mirror, and slipping my engagement ring onto the place it belonged. It was time to quit hiding. I smiled as I banished the simple gold chain I had previously created to conceal it under my hogwarts shirt. 

Making my way up from the dungeons, I stopped as I caught sight of my fiancée leaning against the bottom of one of the moving staircases, as he left with his brother about something. It’s moments like this that I truly understand what love is. His laughter cut off as our eyes connected, before meeting me as I finished my approach, “hi.” 

“Hello, beautiful.” He frowned as his fingers met mine before he glanced down at the jewel, “you’re wearing it?” 

I smiled, bringing his hand up to kiss it, “the chain is gone. I think it’s officially time to show my allegiance, don’t you?” 

He grinned, “I love you.” Planting a kiss to my pale lips, I pushed him back after a moment, “I guess it works, since I got you this.” 

I gasped at the necklace in his hands, the Delicate silver chain holding up a small heart surrounded by diamonds. “George.” I followed his silent command as he motioned for me to turn, his hands grazing my shoulders as he clipped it into place. “It’s lovely.” The sparkle in his eye reminded me of the dragon, “it isn’t much, but I got you a three part gift. Well, besides your actual gift for Christmas.” Handing him his dragon, I smiled as he ran a finger tip across its back causing the creature to shudder. “And since were no longer keeping our engagement a secret… I think it’s time for me to spend Christmas at the Burrow.” 

“Yeah?” With a small nod, he whooped before spinning up around and looking back at Fred and Angelina who were trying not to look at us, “she’s coming home with us tomorrow.” 

“Ah yeah. This is gonna be good.” 

The four of us continued talking as we made our way toward our designated table, the conversation still flowing as we ordered our dinners and ate. I smirked around my goblet when I noticed the package appear in front of Ronald Weasley, before slowly slipping my hand into my gown to retrieve my wand. The moment he opened the box, I cast an engorgio to make the tan teddy bear three times its original size. Listening to lavender giggle and proclaim that it was the gift she got him, I nudged George who looked at the scene with amusement, before making a stabbing motion with my wand towards the bear, and whispering, “arakhne,” wincing as the green light hit the object, although it went unnoticed by everyone at the golden trios table besides Harry, who nodded when I motioned for him to be quiet. It took mere moments after that for the bear to shift into an overly large spider. Ron’s shrieks of fear we’re surrounded by giggles and laughter as the rest of the great Hall watched an amusement as he tried to get away. George and Fred were practically leaning on each other for support as they enjoyed the scene. “Happy Christmas, guys.”