Family Reunions

Kerrington flattened the front of the loose shirt she was wearing. Today was the day of the infamous family reunion, as Rigel had called it. It was Kerrington's first family reunion in her life. She was partly excited and partly worried. She hadn't met any of her new family members, due to the fact that her's and Rigel's marriage was unconventional. Kerrington was extremely worried that her new family wouldn't accept her or like her. Surely they knew of her from Hogwarts and that frightened her. Not to mention her job for the past years have been an assassin. She didn't dress up too much, but they were nicer than the Muggle sweats she had been wearing since she found out she was pregnant with twins.

Walking into the kitchen, Kerrington smiled when she saw Rigel. "Hey love, when are they going to be here?" She wondered, wrapping her arms around him and looking around at the feast she had prepared. She was proud of herself, though it didn't make her nerves any less strong.

"Kerrington, calm down. They'll absolutely adore you. Believe me, they like almost anyone, though their pride sometimes gets in the way," Rigel reassured his wife, talking mostly about his parents. "They should be here in about half an hour. Just calm down. You look beautiful as always and the food looks and smells great."

He held her as she wrapped her arms around him. "Everything will be fine, don't worry. Unless Psyche does something to tick Cassie off, of course. Then all hell will break loose," he said, chuckling. Rigel kissed the top of Kerrington's head, running a hand through her dark hair. "Just don't mention a whole lot of baby stuff until dinner, though they probably already know."

Sydni strolled Up to her cousins flat. Rigel, and his former assassin Kerrington(which now was his wife) had called for a little family get together. Seizing this opportunity to finally see her family, and it's new arrival, she went to his flat at once.

When Sydni got there, she decided instead of knocking she would shout out her arrival. "OI! RIGEL! OPEN THE DOOR AND SEE YOUR LITTLE COUSIN!" Sydni, a little breathless, bounced back and forth on the balls of her feet waiting for the door open. She also had brought a daisy bouquet for Kerrington, a way to say that Sydni welcomed her to the family.

Kerrington smiled sweetly at Rigel, before hearing someone shouting through the door at Rigel. Raising an eyebrow, Kerrington laughed. "A half an hour?" She wondered, before walking toward the door. "I'll get it," She told him.

Opening the door, she smiled when she saw a young girl-- though the girl was almost taller than her-- standing in the doorway. "Hi," Kerrington said with what she hoped was a charming smile. "I'm Kerrington," She introduced herself, stepping aside. "C'mon in."

Sydni smiled at the woman who opened the door. "Im Sydni. Pleasure to meet you Kerrington." She smiled sweetly as she handed her the flowers, along with a great big bear hug. "Welcome to the family! Im sure Rigel has told you everything about me." She added jokingly. Sydni glanced at her watch. "Im dreadfully early." She chuckled to herself.

Sydni, unaware of her surroundings, stood awkwardly by the front door.

There was yelling at the door. Rigel chuckled. It was typical Sydni.

"Yes, well, Sydni's always had a thing for punctuality," Rigel deadpanned. He watched as Sydni gave Kerrington the tightest, biggest hug he had ever seen anyone give since his Great-Grandmother Molly.

"Right, of course I did." He looked at his cousin curiously. "Why don't you sit in the den? There's a fire already lit. And there's books... Not like you'll actually read them, but still. There's books."

"Good. I'm glad to hear it." Sydni said a shade cooler. She always felt as if her older cousin was judging her, considering their ancestors were mortal enemies. Sydni made her way to the den. "Arnt you funny?" she retorted back quickly.

Sydni, not wanting Kerrington to be mortified already, took in a deep breath and opened the closest book to her, skimming through it in a very bored fashion. She flopped to the couch, throwing the book aside. She looked around the house, nothing in particular catching her eye.

Ravenclaw Malfoy Cass Cassie Cassiopeia 5 multiples of 5 OCD stop thinking stop thinking

"I hope Rigel and his wife are ready for me..."

Stand there, take a breath, ring the bell, stand there, wait. Hear nothing, open the door, enter, look around, go to the living room. There they are - Rigel, wife, random girl, Cass (four, four, unlucky, death in Chinese, where's the fifth?). Pause, straighten that vase(crooked, how did that happen, she was just over here a few months ago), and then

wait

early?

yes.

"Hello, Rigel."

"I'm hilarious, not funny," Rigel deadpanned again. He saw Sydni throw a book on the couch. "HEY! No throwing my books! They're old and valuable!" He pulled Kerrington toward him and whispered, "Honestly, it's like that girl just does whatever she wants without thinking of consequences. Oh well, I guess that's what happens."

The door bell rang.

Rigel turned his head toward the noise and let go of his wife before heading over to answer. Before he could, however, his little sister strode in and fix up the vase. "Cassiopeia, what are you doing?"

Sydni rolled her eyes. "Shove off Rigel. Where have you been, oh, let me think, for all of my life?" Sydni hissed at him. Honestly. She figure out how they were related. At all.

Someone knocked on the door, and wasnt shocked in the least to see Rigels sister, Cassie. "Hello Cassie." Sydni said gloomily.

Psyche was outside the door just after Cassie walked in. Leave it to Cassiopeia to never leave a door open for other people.

Stupid ginger.

Luckily Psyche had company. Max was with her, seeing how he'd also been invited. He would technically be a Malfoy soon.

Hopefully.

"She's not the most polite person," Psyche explained to her fiance.

She rang the doorbell repeatedly; over and over and over and over and over and over and over- until someone finally answered.

Max watched as a redheaded girl went into the flat and practically slammed the door. He looked at Psyche, slightly confused at the expression on her face.

"Who was that?" He'd never heard her mention anyone in her family other than Rigel. But then again, Rigel was the Minister of Magic, so people were bound to know about him and Psyche being related.

And you were talking about that girl not being polite, he chided her in his head.

Pause. Glance at Rigel (he's so much taller than me), shrug, speak - "Your vase was crooked, what did you do to it?" - nod at Sydni, hear the doorbell. Over and over and over and over and it's ringing in her ears and she can't breathe or think because the damn thing won't shut up, so she turns right around and walks down the hall and open the door and there's Psyche, at least a head taller than her and glaring at the door for no reason. She's with a man who looks familiar but she waves it off, instead opening the door and greeting them politely. "Psyche. Psyche's boyfriend. Nice to meet you."

Psyche glared at her sister.

Black sheep of the family.

Shame of the family, or so she thought.

She really did love her family, a lot at that, but Cassiopeia just made things worse than they were. For Psyche at least.

Smirking down at Cassiopeia, she replied, "Cass." Before Max could say anything, she said venomously, "Actually, he's my fiance. He has been for the past two years, or haven't you noticed?"

Max reached for the doorknob but decided against it. Opening someone else's door was rude, wasn't it?

The little redhead opened the door again. Psyche said something about "Cass." He assumed it was the redhead's name.

Just as he opened his mouth, he was cut off by Psyche. "Yeah. My name's Maxwell Inaga. It's a pleasure to meet you also," he said with slight annoyance, offering his hand to...Cass.

He really didn't understand why his fiancee was being so...bitchy. Surely Cass wasn't that bad.

Rigel raised his eyebrows at Cassie. She was admittedly his favorite sister, though she acted oddly, more than likely because of her condition. He didn't really like talking about it, though he knew she could handle herself.

"How can a vase be crooked?" he asked with a slightly amused smile. "I didn't do anything." He turned his head toward Kerrington. "Did you do anything to the vase?" Rigel called, humoring his sister.

He looked over Cass, who had gone to answer the door, and saw Psyche and her fiance- Max or something, if he remembered correctly. "Come on in, plenty of room, plenty of time." He led his sisters and Max into the den, where Sydni sat, looking gloomy and desolate. "Syd, cheer up. Less than twenty minutes until everyone gets here."

Shrug again (Psyche and Rigel are too alike, really), move to the side to let them walk again, pause, speak. "It was a general term. I meant general romantic interest. Boyfriend, fiance...what's the difference? No change in what you can or can't do." Watch the man. He seems nice, so shake his head, draw back quickly, stand, watch.

You're too good for her. Run.

"My name's Cassiopeia Malfoy."

Sydni watched the current situation with interest and confuion. She never really got around to meeting Cassie, but now that she did... It was just interesting to see how everyone interacted with her, like walking on eggshells. Or something like that.

Sydni looked when the doorbell rang, the door opened. It was Psyche, another cousin of hers, and her fiancee or boyfriend, one or the other, Max. "Hello you two." She said with a smile. She got up off of the couch.

Sydni, upon hearing Rigels words, scowled. "I dont know half of these people. You expect me to be cheerful about that?" She raised an eyebrow shaking her head. It was a completly riddiculus idea, being cheerful about not even knowing her own family. Depressing actually..