With November dawning, I noticed that Hermione and Draco were studying quite frequently in the library, likely preparing for their mid-term examinations. Ron had been announced as Keeper of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team, with Harry still retaining the position of Seeker, and Angelina Johnson going for her second year as its Captain. Sirius had dragged me out for their first game against Hufflepuff, and their second against Ravenclaw, but it was so exhausting, as well as chilly, that Poppy told him to leave me alone for future games and practices.

"Maybe I'm not really your daughter, considering that Quidditch doesn't fascinate me on the same level it does you," I mentioned to Sirius at the end of the month.

Sirius chuckled. "Thérèsa wasn't very fond of it either," he replied.

I raised my eyebrows, surprised that he would willingly mention her; it always brought him great sadness to do so, and yet, I was pleased to know more information about her. "Really?" I asked, automatically eager to know more. "She didn't?"

"No," Sirius confirmed, shaking his head.

It was then that I noticed the sadness streaking through his blue eyes, so I made the wise decision to drop the subject.

Filius began decorating the Great Hall on the first of the month, displaying a lovely spruce that Hagrid had dragged in from the Forbidden Forest. Other spruces dotted various corridors throughout Hogwarts, as well as the Headmistress' Tower; I also had one in my suite of rooms, and had sent out various Owl Orders, particularly from Germany, to procure some traditional antique ornaments and lights. Other decorations, including a garland made of holly, decorated the mantelpiece in my bedroom, as well as the front parlor, and other decorations and pieces made my kitchen, parlor, Tonks's bedroom, and my bedroom holiday appropriate.

"I think it's absolutely lovely," Maldue praised, looking at himself reflected in a rather large red ornament. "I've never seen Christmas decorations before."

"It's Cressida's favorite holiday," Morgana was quick to inform him. "No doubt Titania will love it just as much as her mother does."

I sighed, placing a hand upon my belly from where I sat upon the parlor couch. "I never got the opportunity to ask Severus what his holiday traditions were," I said regretfully.

"Well, it's not like he's dead," Maldue said, a bit of his inner Jarvey coming out to play, as he turned and regarded me with his large, black eyes. "I'm sure he's coming back to you—"

"Mal!" Morgana cried, bopping him on the nose with her tail. "That's not how we agreed to begin this conversation!"

I blinked, leaning forward as best I could. "What conversation?" I asked.

Maldue looked quite repentant as he turned to look at me. "I am terribly sorry for my insensitivity towards you, Cressida," he said softly.

Morgana was satisfied with that. "Much better," she proclaimed, rubbing her pink nose with that of the dark brown one of her mate, and turned to look at me again. "Maldue and I are expecting a pair of kits next summer," she told me proudly.

I blinked, my jaw dropping. "Are you?"

"We went to see Poppy ourselves!" Maldue said, practically bouncing up and down. "She told us that, in July, we'll be the proud parents of one male and one female kit!"

"Poppy told us that it's not so unusual, the smallness of the litter size," Morgana explained. "In the wild, non-magical ermine produce a minimum of three and a maximum of twelve. In the event of a thirteenth kit—"

"Which Morgana was," Maldue put in.

"—which is exceptionally rare, it is always magical," Morgana said. "Traditionally, though, most bonded pairs of ermine and Jarvey will produce one to three kits at a time."

"We were hoping that you would like to select names for our son and daughter," Maldue said, his eyes alight with something I knew to be pure, unadulterated excitement. "You selected such wonderful names for us, that we believe our choices would pale in comparison to yours."

I smiled, pleased that they trusted me so much. "Thank you, and I will," I told them. "I think I should meet them first, though, if that's all right with you."

Morgana nodded her head. "Of course," she said, her tone understanding.

In the weeks that followed, Hagrid and Pomona were bonded with Minerva as their bonder, with Filius and Remus as witnesses and Sirius, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Draco, and myself as their official guests. I point-blank refused to speak to Remus, as I had awoken many nights during the first several weeks after Halloween to Tonks' sobs. I didn't mind getting out of bed to comfort her, but I could still see her wasting away. It was during the pre-dawn hours that I would force nutrient potions down her throat, courtesy of Poppy, knowing entirely well that she wouldn't survive without them.

As December wore on, I welcomed the cold weather, as more and more snowfalls blanketed the ancient grounds. It was beautiful, that much everyone could agree on, and even Hermione and Draco were lured out of the library to build snowmen, engage in charmed snowball fights, or even to have large hot chocolates in the Great Hall. I found herself craving the drink, with homemade marshmallows, genuine whipped cream, and decadent chocolate shavings to complete it. More than once, Remus would try to engage me in conversation, due to our shared love of chocolate, but I refused, although Sirius was beginning to become annoyed.

"Why in Merlin's name won't you speak to him?" he demanded one evening, when we were patrolling the corridors of the castle together. "He likely would have been made your godfather after you were born, so the least you could do is attempt to be civil!"

I scoffed at that. "Remus would've been my godfather?" I demanded scathingly. "Not James, not in recompence for him making you Harry's godfather?"

Sirius's gaze darkened at that; he didn't much like James or Lily being brought up, as the wound still bled within him. "I don't know," he stated at last, his tone stiff. "But that still doesn't explain to me why—"

"Why?" I hissed under my breath, gritting my teeth and attempting not to lose my temper with him. "Ask your favorite cousin why don't you..."

Sirius blinked. "Tonks?"

"Yes, Tonks," I growled back. "Tonks, whose very heart is broken. Tonks, who can't get an unbroken nights' sleep because of her devastation. Tonks, who hasn't been the same since the three of you made your triumphant return. Yes, Sirius. Tonks."

Sirius dragged a hand through his hair. "I had no idea it had gotten that bad..."

"Glamor Charms were invented for a reason," I responded darkly. "My Galleons are on witches who found themselves in a bad marriage but didn't want to leave it, as it likely meant, before a certain point in history, losing custody of their children."

Sirius grimaced at the image. "Charming," he muttered. "What do you suggest?"

"Me? I think I've been comforting her just fine," I told him stoutly.

"Comfort! That's it!" Sirius cried out, hurrying forward and pressing a kiss to my forehead. "I'd better get going," he declared, before transforming into Padfoot and hurrying in the other direction at boundless speed.

"But, we're supposed to be patrolling together!" I called after him, letting out a noise of exasperation when he didn't immediately turn around and come back. "Damned mutt," I muttered, walking in the opposite direction, and sighed as Titania made herself known by kicking me. "Oof. Yeah, yeah, I'm going, I'm going," I assured her, knowing that she especially liked our late-night walks around the castle together. "You're not going to be nearly as troublesome as your grandfather, are you, Titania?" I asked her, and was rewarded with an almighty kick to my abdomen. "Woof. Sorry I asked," I muttered.

The following day was Saturday which meant that I could sleep in before I was expected for brunch in the Headmistress' Tower. It had become something of a routine, wherein I would join the Heads of Houses, plus Hagrid and Amelia, for the mid-morning meal on weekends, given that, according to Minerva, once Severus returned, I would automatically be invited by default. I wasn't as exhausted as I had been in weeks' past, as Sirius had shown up more than once as Padfoot to comfort Tonks, and I considered bringing in Andromeda in eventually, as everyone needed their mother in times like these.

"Ah, there you are, Cressida," Minerva said warmly as I stepped inside. "We're just about to give our breakfast orders to the house-elves."

"Craving anything this morning?" Amelia whispered to me with a grin.

I laughed. "Always," I assured her, taking my seat between her and Minerva. I selected one of the weekend specials, crème brûlée French toast, requesting scrambled eggs with cheddar cheese and sausage links for my sides, which I ordered to be served with chilled Gillywater and iced apple juice. "Anything pressing to discuss that I can assist you with, Minerva?" I asked her in a conversational manner, hoping beyond hope that we wouldn't see a repeat of last weekend, wherein we were treated to herself and Horace feeding each other bits of fruit salad between lovestruck giggles.

"Yes, as a matter of fact," Minerva replied. "I've decided to throw a Yule Ball on Christmas Eve night, and to have it as a tradition as long as I am headmistress."

I blinked. "Another Yule Ball, Minerva?" I asked.

"She summoned Kings, Alastor, and myself up here last night," Amelia put in. "The Ministry of Magic thinks it's a wonderful idea, Minerva. The only stumbling block is proper dress robes, as many of the students wouldn't feel comfortable putting Sizing Charms on their garments from last year, as it isn't seen as done..."

"That is what Transfiguration Charms are for," Minerva informed her brightly. "I will give extra lessons to those students who need a bit of brushing up. I'm quite positive that everyone will look smashing in their new outfits."

"Another Yule Ball?" Harry demanded with dismay, once I had him, Ron, Hermione, and Draco into my rooms for tea later that afternoon. "Has McGonagall gone mad?"

"Headmistress McGonagall, Harry," Hermione reminded him gently. "She's likely wanting to bring a sense of normalcy into castle walls, and other schools hold dances around holiday times, of course..."

"Probably because she wants to snog ol' Sluggy under the mistletoe," Ron put in.

Draco wrinkled his nose. "I really didn't need to envision that, Ron..."

Ron rolled his eyes. "Oi, even I acted better than that when you told me you were mad for Charlie at the Halloween Feast," he said smartly.

Draco smiled at the mention of Charlie. "Of course, it helped when Hermione was able to persuade him to come to Hogwarts last month, and one look at me caused him to—"

"Yes, we're all fully aware that Hermione played Cupid and managed to get Charlie to see you for who you truly are at the proper moment," Harry said, looking quite peeved from where he paced in front of my fireplace. "That doesn't help us here!"

"All right, then," I said, waving my hand about. "Why don't you tell us what you need help with, Harry, and we'll see what we can do."

"Cressida's right, Harry," Hermione said, nodding her head, quite pleased to have felt Titania kicking earlier. "Tell us what's bothering you."

Harry hmphed under his breath. "Well, Ron's dress robes, for one thing!" he cried out, and Ron immediately colored at the memory. "Mrs. Weasley should be ashamed for making him wear those sorry excuses for formal wear!"

Draco nodded. "I have to agree," he said gently.

"Well," I said, sitting back on my loveseat, Hermione perched upon its arm, "Sirius has given me control of some of the Black vaults at Gringotts, due to being the pampered only child of the Head of the House of Black," I informed them, and Draco shot me a grin, since I'd given him plenty of spending money in case he ever wanted anything, since he was under my guardianship until he reached his majority. "Draco has considerately informed me of all the wonderful wixen designers in Paris—"

"But you're from France," Ron interrupted. "Surely you know some of them!"

Hermione sighed. "Fleur is more fashion forward that Cressida is, Ronald. And, besides, Cressida never cared for things like that," she huffed.

"Unless the occasion calls for it," I informed Hermione patiently, squeezing her arm. "Anyhow, I sent away for the appropriate magazines through the Floo this morning—yes, it actually works that way internationally," I told Harry and Ron, who looked positively shocked, "and got us a few things." I snapped my fingers, copies of Young Wizards – High Fashion going to Harry, Ron, and Draco, a copy of Miss Witch – Elite Charm going to Hermione, and Magical Maternity à la Mode coming over to me.

Draco opened his magazine as if he'd been born to do it. "The order forms are at the back of these things," he explained to Harry and Ron, who looked terribly lost. "Once you've made your selections, you simply put down your name, measurements, Gringotts account information, and location of where you want your things delivered."

Harry made a face. "I can afford my own robes," he said quietly.

I nodded; I knew that the Potters had left Harry quite a bit of wealth. "And that's your decision, Harry," I told him. "It was merely an offer, not a requirement."

"Mum'll flip," Ron said softly.

"I spoke to her after tea with Minerva, and delivered the news personally," I told Ron. "I also gave Ginny a copy of Miss Witch – Elite Charm," I continued, "and let Molly know that I would personally pay for outfits for you and Ginny. She said that, ultimately, it was up to the pair of you whether or not you wanted something, and I was not to influence you in any way. I agreed with her, of course."

"I just hope that Ginny's doing all right," Hermione said quietly. "She caught Michael Corner snogging Lisa Turpin after the Gryffindor vs. Ravenclaw Quidditch match. They weren't in love, I know, but she's a bit saddened by it—"

Harry's eyes widened at Hermione's words, and he immediately got to his feet, tucking his copy of Young Wizards – High Fashion underneath his arm, and hurried out of my rooms.

"Oi!" Ron cried out, getting to his feet, but Draco pulled him back onto the couch.

"Not now," he said, opening his magazine and showing it to Ron. "Now, which robe do you think brings out my eyes the best?"

Ron glared at Draco. "That happens to be my sister he's going after!" he shouted.

Hermione huffed from beside me, thumbing through Miss Witch – Eliot Charm. "So?" she demanded of him distractedly.

"Well, I... He's a bloke!" Ron sputtered.

Draco rolled his eyes. "And our best mate," he responded, tutting slightly. "Besides, you let me go out with Charlie..."

"Charlie's older, which means I have no say. Plus, he's a bloke, too—"

Hermione lowered her magazine, fixing Ron with a positively angry expression. "So, what you're saying here is, because Ginny is a girl, you get to make decisions for her?"

Ron, sensing what he'd said, went red to his ears. "Well, I..."

"No," Hermione said firmly, crossing her arms, "think for a moment, Ronald Weasley. Harry is our best friend. True or not true?"

Ron groaned. "True."

"Very good," Hermione said. "Now, Harry is kind. True or not true?"

Ron mumbled something rude under his breath. "True."

Hermione nodded. "Correct. Harry is considerate, intelligent, and has been the object of your sister's affections for at least two years. True or not true?"

"True," Ron responded.

"And," Draco said quickly, "he wouldn't put her into a situation she was uncomfortable with, because he is your best mate, and practically family to all of you. True or not true?"

Ron sighed. "True."

"There you are, then," Draco said, spreading his hand. "What's the problem here? It's not like he can take her down to Madam Puddifoot's or something. Hogsmeade weekends have been banned for the foreseeable future and all, so the most they could do is walk around the grounds, and not even for very long, due to all the snow."

Ron dragged a hand through his hair. "Yeah, I s'pose," he muttered.

"Don't be so discouraged," I put in, and Ron looked up at me. "At least you all have dates, what with Harry asking Ginny, you going with Hermione, and Draco presumably going with Charlie when the time comes..." I turned to regard Draco. "You have asked him?"

Draco smirked. "He's managed to get weekends off from the preserve, and he mentioned coming here for the Christmas holidays. I'm sure the opportunity will...arise," he said, smirking.

Ron wrinkled his nose. "Please, don't..."

"What about Neville?" I asked, turning to look at Hermione. "Who can he go with? He can hardly go with Ginny like last year, given that Harry's asking her now..."

Hermione considered for a moment before her eyes lit up. "Oh! There's this girl in Ravenclaw in Ginny's year who's absolutely lovely. A bit strange, of course, but very smart. She and her father took a cottage on the grounds last summer, and he's the editor for The Quibbler..."

"Luna!" I cried out, for Kingsley and Alastor subscribed to the paper themselves, and had had quite a few discussions with Xenophilius, Luna's father, once they returned from Malfoy Manor in Wilshire. "Filius really likes her, and he's mentioned her plenty of times to us in the Headmistress' Tower. Poor Minerva, she's still doing Transfiguration, despite being the current headmistress, but, thankfully, Remus took over Head of Gryffindor..."

"Maybe that will be a good Christmas present for her—finding a new Transfiguration professor so that Headmistress McGonagall doesn't go off her rocker," Ron muttered.

"It will likely have to be someone who received at least an OWL in the subject, but preferably a NEWT," Hermione said, thinking it over. "Draco, do you know of anyone?"

"Well, the minister and deputy minister, of course, but they clearly have their hands full with the world going to hell right now," Draco said quietly.

"Bill says it's becoming too dangerous to work at Gringotts, and he's been missing Fleur," Ron said, his eyes widening. "I saw his OWL and NEWTs scores—he got Os for Transfiguration, and he was a Gryffindor!"

Draco straightened at that. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Draco, you're in Gryffindor now, too!"

Draco blinked, before he shook his head. "Oh, right," he said, leaning back.

"Fleur mentioned Bill coming to see her on weekends, so he must be here in the castle," I said to them all quickly. "Perhaps we can ask him if he could be persuaded to tell Minerva that he could take over Transfiguration for Minerva..."

"Hopefully the goblins will release him," Draco said darkly.

"Not the time, Draco," Hermione said quickly. "We need to ask Bill!"

I giggled aloud as they all hurried out of my rooms, knowing entirely well that Hermione would be on them to get their selections back to me as quickly as possible. I turned as my guest bedroom door opened, and Tonks stood on the threshold, arms wrapped around her, her hair sticking out every which way, and still wearing her pajamas. "How was your nap?" I asked her tentatively.

Tonks made a face and shuffled over towards the couch that Draco, Ron, and Hermione had occupied previously. "Kreacher."

Kreacher appeared, looking up at Tonks; in the wake of him meeting me, he had also sworn allegiance to the Tonks family as well, although it had taken some doing. "And what can Kreacher do for Mistress Tonks?"

"Coffee, please, Kreacher."

Kreacher nodded. "Kreacher will procure it," he declared, before snapping his fingers, and was gone.

Tonks stared at my coffee table and, shortly thereafter, a tray appeared, complete with a coffee pot, mug, and other kinds of acceptable accoutrements. Tonks prepared the coffee to her liking—it smelled of hazelnut and she doctored it with lots of cream and sugar. Leaning back in a comfortable position on the couch, she sipped her drink slowly, her eyes fluttering ever so slightly as she woke up. "It wasn't a nap, you know."

I gave a slow nod. "I know."

Tonks dragged a hand down her face. "I just... I just don't want to see him..."

I gave her a tight smile in reassurance. "Minerva has been appraised of the situation and promises not to have the two of you patrol together. You take your meals here, and Harry has given you permission to borrow the Marauder's Map when you do patrol so that you can avoid him. I see no reason why you would run into him..."

"Unless he comes here," Tonks bit out.

"Sirius has told Remus not to, and I have spoken to him myself," I reminded her gently. "Remus has no reason to, unless there is a real emergency, in which, I hope, you would be prepared to set aside your differences temporarily."

Tonks fixed me with a dark glare. "Unless Riddle himself has somehow broken the wards upon the castle and is storming it..."

I nodded. "Yes, yes, yes. Remus knows the parameters of what constitutes an emergency. Don't worry. If you really don't wish to see him, then you won't see him."

She gave a stiff nod at that, sipping her coffee again. "What were Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Draco doing here, then?"

I bit my lip, knowing entirely well that I had to approach the situation delicately. "Minerva has decided to hold a Yule Ball annually, as part of Hogwarts tradition, every Christmas Eve. Did you know that last year was the first one since Headmaster Dippet was in charge?"

Tonks blinked. "No, I didn't. When did he stop being headmaster?"

I pursed my lips. "It's hard to say, as Dumbledore served as Headmaster Regent, sort of like Prince George, and later King George IV, did for King George III, when he became old and feeble... It started in 1965 and ended in 1971, so the rules differ on how long he was headmaster and how long Dumbledore was as well."

Tonks raised her eyebrows. "Hard to believe that he was so feeble, but lived until just three years ago," she mused, shaking her head. She sighed, shoulders slacking. "I assume that attendance for this ball is compulsory?"

I swallowed, tapping my fingertips upon the arm of the loveseat. "Minerva didn't say, but I'm sure she would like you there," I hedged, knowing entirely well that Tonks would be nervous to attend such an event. "Look, I won't be going with anyone either, since my husband has literally left me holding the bag," I groused, cupping my belly with my free hand.

Tonks chuckled at that. "That is true," she allowed.

I snapped my fingers, a copy of Fantastical Fashionista, yet another elite French wizarding clothing company, flying towards Tonks. "Let me treat you to a wonderful ensemble," I said, as Tonks opened the glossy cover and peeked at its offerings, "and maybe, just maybe, we can give Remus a little taste of what he's been missing."

Tonks poured through the magazine, running her fingers along the high-quality paper. "You really think so?" she whispered.

I nodded. "Of course I do," I replied. "Sirius is letting me outfit anyone I want, since he's given over some of the Black family fortune to me, which means that both you, Draco, and Ron are entitled to it anyhow. Let me spoil my favorite relative, please?"

Tonks peeked up at me. "I'm your favorite?"

I reached out towards her, taking her by the hand. "I think you know you are," I told her, squeezing it, and causing her to smile. "I'll always have a soft spot for Draco, of course, as he needs our protection right now, but I got close to you right away without conflict, and you truly seemed to know me, you know?"

Tonks gave me a half smile like that. "You're half-Black, just like me," she said softly. "I mean, someone had to recognize you..."

~⚜~

Preparations for the Yule ball were officially in full-swing, with Minerva having detailed conversations with Madam Rosmerta and the house-elves about the menu, as well as Filius when it came to decorating the Great Hall. Understandably, the Weird Sisters were unable to perform for us, as they were touring in Germany, as well as the notion that Hogwarts was, effectively, on lockdown to the greater wizarding public. As such, Arthur Weasley was instructed to tinker a bit with the Wizarding Wireless to see what he could come up with.

In the meantime, I was able to get in touch with the Parisian Wixen Fashion District, and all our orders were accounted for, to be delivered just three days before the ball. I'd invited Hermione, plus Fleur and Ginny, to get ready with Tonks and myself in my rooms, and they'd graciously accepted the invitation. I'd also met Luna for the first time, and extended the invitation to her as well, and she, very politely, accepted it. Hermione and Ginny had told me that Neville had plucked up the courage to ask her to go to the ball with him, and she, very sweetly, had said that she would love to.

The night of the ball arrived and, with it, four young ladies entering my suite of rooms with large boxes in their arms. Tonks had assisted me in setting up the parlor room accordingly, and we'd transfigured several pieces of furniture into vanity tables, one for each girl. Each table had a bottle of Sleekeazy's Hair Potion, moisturizer for their respective skin types, makeup for their skin tone, and high-quality shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. Tonks and I had showered already, and my guests took their showers in turns, two at a time, one in my bathroom and the other in hers. Once they were out, and sporting the custom robe and slippers I'd provided for them all, Manicure and Pedicure Spells were utilized, so as our nails were painted the exact shade of all our gowns.

"Tonight is going to be brilliant," Hermione whispered, and I certainly hoped so, given how her first Yule ball had ended so tragically the year before.

"Do you think they'll recognize us?" Ginny asked as we all opened our boxes, once our nails were dry, and gazed down at her gown, stockings, shoes, and masks, for Minerva had later stipulated that a masquerade ball was the right way to go.

"I like to think they will," Luna said quietly, "after all, none of us will have our hair covered, and we each have different shades."

Our hair was the next thing to be styled, with ringlets being the order of the day, causing our respective manes to flow down our backs. Finally, it came time to put on our gowns, and I was pleased to see how well everyone looked in them. Fleur's gown was one of silver, and she looked just like an ice queen in her matching mask and heels, complete with moonstone jewelry from the Delacour side of the family. Luna had opted for a pale periwinkle gown, which paired excellently with her long, blonde hair, and her matching tanzanite jewelry. Tonks' gown was a hot pink number in a mermaid cut, and I knew she was going to be as daring as possible this evening to get Remus to notice her, especially given her coordinating sapphire jewelry, which Sirius himself had encouraged her to borrow. Ginny's gown was a deep blue shade with a pale blue neckline for modesty purposes, and was accompanied by blue topaz jewelry. As for Hermione, she was wearing a gorgeous ruby colored gown, which had a brave slit up one leg, and I knew the sixteen-year-old witch would more than likely turn some heads that night, her date included, as she shimmered every time she moved, likely due to the ruby gems she wore.

"Where's your gown?" Tonks asked.

"She wouldn't even let me see it," Fleur put in.

I grinned at them all, before I took my box and went into my bedroom for a moment, taking out my gown and suspending it in midair. It was a dark green gown with a full skirt, plus a gauze-like cape in the back, with an off-shoulder neckline. I had only given Sirius a hint about the color itself, and he had lent me a pair of emerald earrings, a necklace, and a ring from one of the Black family vaults to go with it. I was pleased that the Anti-Wrinkle Charms had held up, and I spelled it on me, the ribbons at the back lacing up well, and stepped into my matching slippers, before the jewelry followed suit. I placed my mask on over my eyes as I stepped out of my bedroom, and all my friends gathered there were quite pleased to see my transformation.

There was a knock at the door a moment later, which I quickly moved to answer, and smiled at the four gentlemen upon my threshold. "Come in Bill, Ron, Neville, and Harry," I said to them all, in order of age. I grinned as they gaped at me momentarily for a moment, but got their bearings and came inside, a posy for each of their dates.

Bill presented Fleur with white tulips; Ron gave Hermione red roses; Neville blushed as he handed over atropurpurea; and Harry beamed as he gave Ginny hydrangeas.

"We'd best get a move on," Tonks put in, and smiled as all the ladies and gentlemen left my suite of rooms to head down to the ball.

I grinned at Tonks, transfiguring some pink azaleas for her. "Shall we?"

Tonks grinned and tucked them into her hair, adding a Freezing Charm so they'd stay, before she transfigured some hellebore for me. "Let's!"

I giggled at the notion that she had presented me with a potion ingredient, but nevertheless put it into my hair as I locked arms with her, and exited my rooms. We made our way directly to the staircases, which, thankfully, brought us promptly to the Entrance Hall, where many students were chattering away, awaiting to enter for many varying reasons. Tonks and I, however, went inside almost immediately, listening to Celestina Warbeck crooning not as terrible as I envisioned it to be.

"Mum loves her," Tonks whispered, rolling her eyes.

I followed her gaze, spotting Andromeda standing with Molly, with the pair of them mouthing along to the song, and swaying to the music in a way that seemed as if they were determined to look younger. "So does Molly, apparently," I whispered back.

Tonks and I ventured over to the table to inspect what Minerva had gotten the house-elves and Madam Rosmerta, who was dressed in an elegant golden gown with topaz accessories that evening, to prepare. There was mulled wine, hot cider, hot chocolate, cranberry brie bites, stuffed mushrooms, cheddar cheese straws, meatballs, and spinach-ricotta crostini. There were tables dotting the back corridor of the Great Hall which would be brought in for the main event, as well as the entrées that Minerva had ordered for the evening. Each table was had a number on it, along with little place cards with the wixen's name on them, and there would be six people to the tables.

"This is delicious," Tonks proclaimed, sipping at her mulled wine.

I grimaced. "I hope you checked to make sure that Fred and George didn't tamper with it," I told her, knowing entirely well that she would never live it down if she made a fool of herself in front of Remus.

Tonks rolled her eyes. "Didn't you feel it?"

I blinked. "Feel what?"

Tonks waved her hand, and an age line appeared around the table. "No magic around the table if you're underage, and that includes tampering with the dishes and drinks."

I blinked. "Very astute," I told her, feeling a bit thick that I hadn't sensed it.

Tonks leaned forward and squeezed my arm. "It's difficult to feel such things when you're expecting, as you've got to send quite a bit of magical energy to your baby," she explained. "I heard it from my mum while she was expecting me, which is why she and Dad only decided to have one child."

All too soon, the mingling had ended for the night and the tables were brought out by a snap of Minerva's fingers. The tables danced for a moment, their fancy white tablecloths acting like the skirts of ballgowns, before they lowered themselves onto the floor. Accompanying chairs bounced in from the outside corridor as well, before going to their respective tables, where plates, glasses, serviettes, and cutlery all appeared upon the surface of the tables. Finally, place cards appeared by the plates, and a number popped out from a vase of holly and narcissus in the center of the table, permitting those to hurry forward to see where they would be sitting.

I crossed the room with Tonks, vaguely aware of wixen around us that were both familiar and unfamiliar to me, until we reached table number three, and, pleasantly, discovered we were to be seated next to one another. However, Sirius and Remus were also assigned to the table, and my heart leapt into my throat when I saw my husband's name in elegant script, to be seated upon my other side. I swallowed, knowing that Minerva would never trifle with my emotions like this, and yet, I wondered, if this meant that Severus was expected at the festivities.

"Did you know about this?" Tonks whispered as Sirius and Remus claimed their seats, Sirius sitting one seat away from me, and Remus directly next to Tonks.

I shook my head. "No, of course not," I told her. "I knew he would be here, of course, but not that he'd be sitting with us."

"You look lovely this evening, both of you," Sirius said from the other side of the table, and promptly nudged Remus.

Remus cleared his throat awkwardly. "Yes. Lovely."

I bit my lip, knowing that Tonks wasn't likely to start the conversation on our end, so I decided to help her out a bit. "Dad, no date tonight?" I asked him.

Sirius smiled, obviously pleased at my renewed effort to address him in such a way. "My love life isn't what it once was, but I have met someone recently, and she is lovely."

"Have you?" I asked, very pleased for him, and proceeded to look around the room. "Is she here tonight?"

"She is in the castle, yes, but was, unfortunately, tethered elsewhere for the evening," Sirius responded with a smile. "Don't worry; we're figuring it out."

I looked around the room, noticing that Fleur and Bill were seated at a table number four with Andromeda, Ted, Charlie, and Draco. The second table was taken up by Neville, Luna, Mr. Lovegood and his date for the evening, and Pomona and Hagrid, who wore striking earth tones that evening. Table number one was, expectedly, filled with Minerva and Horace, Filius and Amelia, and, to my surprise, Arthur and Molly, who looked very pleased at the honor. Harry and Ginny, plus Ron and Hermione, were seated at table number five with Dean and Seamus, while table number seven was currently playing host to Fred and Alicia, George and Angelina, Oliver and Penelope, and Cedric and Cho, much to my surprise, as they somehow managed to all fit there, given that there were eight instead of six.

I turned back to Sirius and whispered, "Were you aware of this?"

My father followed my gaze onto the place card, and his dark brow furrowed slightly then. "I was made aware of it only this afternoon," he admitted.

I gritted my teeth, practically trembling in my chair. "Well, why didn't you tell me?" I shot back at him, doing my very best not to lose my temper in the middle of the Great Hall. "I've been worried sick about my husband for weeks, and—"

"And what?"

I felt my heart hammering within me then as I looked up, freezing where I sat at the sensation of my husband's eyes upon me for the first time in five months. My jaw slackened most unbecomingly as I did my best to remember how to breathe properly, and I was relieved that there was a modicum of emotion in the gaze which held mine. "You're here."

"I am," Severus confirmed, hesitating for a moment, before he wrapped a hand around my waist and drew me to him almost effortlessly. "Black, Lupin, Miss Tonks, please excuse me and my wife, I'm afraid we're needed elsewhere."

I was pulled unceremoniously from the Great Hall, all eyes upon me as I hurried out after the long strides of my husband; only when we were a good distance away did I yank myself forcefully away from him, the rage having reached its boiling point at the surface of my skin. "I have no idea what you think you're playing at, Severus Snape, but you and I need to have a proper discussion."

"Indeed," Severus responded, lowering his eyes down at my very pregnant belly, "it appears as if we do."

I gritted my teeth and crossed my arms. "Poppy will be the first to tell you that I checked the moment you decided to leave me," I lashed out, and Severus had the good sense to appear chastened at that. "Of course this child is yours. She is yours," I burst out, and grabbed ahold of him by the wrist, placing his hand upon it.

Severus stiffened for a moment, but Titania chose that precise moment to kick out at him, and he was surrounded by our combined magicks for the first time. "Dear Merlin," he whispered, his face awash with regret as his other hand came to rest upon my belly. "We've got a little witch in there, haven't we?"

I swallowed, trembling at the sensation of his hands on me after so long. "Yes," I said softly to him, and he gazed up at me, "we do."

Severus swallowed, before he straightened up again and took me by the hand, hurrying me down to the dungeons, and it was only after we'd stepped over the threshold that I realized the castle had moved my belongings back down there. "Cressida—"

I tore off my mask and glared at him. "If you think for one moment that I'm just going to move back down here with you after what you put me through, Severus Snape—!"

Severus sighed. "I know I have quite a bit to explain, Cressida, if you would only permit me to do so," he replied.

I crossed my arms again, but never broke eye contact with him. "Very well. I'm listening," I replied, my tone clipped.

"The moment I discovered what Dolohov had done to you, I knew I had to find a way to kill him," Severus responded. "So, I went straight to Kinglsey and Alastor, and told them what I intended upon doing."

My jaw dropped for the second time that night. "You mean, they knew about your plans all along?" I cried out.

"Yes," Severus replied. "I told them to go to Malfoy Manor, and to convince a second team to go to Riddle House. I knew plenty of high-ranking Death Eaters would be stationed at the ancestral Malfoy home, which would give them an opportunity to strike. As such, once that happened, the second team would only be halfway to Riddle House, which worked like a charm."

I gritted my teeth. "They may be our Minister and Deputy Minister of Magic, but you are still my husband, Severus. The thought of you..." I shook my head. "I didn't even want to think about you returning to that madman's side..."

"I managed to get back into his good graces long enough to convince him that Dolohov was the one who was the spy, and was given the honor of executing him," Severus informed me. "After that, I worked with Draco, Narcissa, and Lucius on how to draw suspicion to other members of the Death Eaters. I'll admit, it was very satisfying to see Narcissa slip just the right amount of poison into Bellatrix's wine."

I rolled my eyes. "I certainly won't miss either of them," I informed him.

"No, I can't imagine you would," Severus reasoned. "Lucius was quite heroic as well, and slaughtered Nagini at the proper moment."

I worried my lower lip. "But what about Riddle?" I asked, knowing entirely well that the other Death Eaters didn't matter to me as much. "You told Dumbledore yourself about the prophecy, about how Harry has to kill him..."

Severus nodded. "I did, yes. Of course, prophecies can always be overturned, broken, or filled in with another. I suppose I merely saved Harry from his own destiny."

I grimaced. "Severus, what did you do?" I whispered.

"I ran at the first opportunity," Severus admitted, his shoulders deflating. "I considered strangling him, as I believed the entire operation would be seen as ironic, given his hatred for Muggles, and how he would've been taken down by a Muggle method..."

"Then how did you save Harry from his destiny, then, if Riddle still walks among us?" I wanted to know, fear growing from within me.

Severus sighed. "Well, perhaps by diminishing Riddle's ranks, I did a sustainable job," he said at last, looking torn. "I will readily admit that I desperately wanted to kill him, Cressida, but I couldn't, not without arising too much suspicion, as it was already a trial getting Lucius and Narcissa out of the manor."

I blinked. "They're here, then?"

Severus nodded. "They are. They're waiting for Draco in a secluded location, and Minerva is going to arrange for Draco to see them after the ball, as well as introduce them to Draco's intended, Charlie Weasley."

I nodded, knowing that some good had to come out of all this. "Well, that's all well and good," I said quietly, "but where does that leave us?"

"It leaves us in grave danger," Severus admitted, and my eyes widened. "Riddle knows where we are, and, despite the wards upon Hogwarts, the two of us... Well, the three of us," he amended, once he got a good look at my belly again, "will need to hide."

I swallowed. "I won't leave Morgana, or Maldue," I told him.

Severus raised his eyebrows. "Maldue?"

"Morgana's mate, a Jarvey," I explained quickly. "Morgana is expecting their twin kits by next summer, shortly after our first anniversary."

Severus nodded. "Of course."

I snapped my fingers, and said, "Kreacher."

Kreacher immediately popped into being, his eyes filled with worry. "Kreacher has been listening to Mistress Cressida and Master Snape," he told us quickly. "Shall Kreacher be fetching Morgana and Maldue?"

"Yes, please, Kreacher. Thank you," I said in a rush.

Severus, impressed, watched as Kreacher popped away. "I have heard stories of that elf. Has he mended his ways?"

"Ever since Sirius was pardoned, yes," I confirmed. "He has sworn loyalty to both Sirius and myself, and I know he respects you quite a bit."

Severus inclined his head. "The Prince family currently has no house-elves," he mused. "Would Kreacher like to accompany us to the manor? All the latest Protective Enchantments and wards have been placed upon the property but, surely, we will need someone to run errands on our behalf, as it will be too dangerous for us to leave for the foreseeable future."

I swallowed. "Perhaps," I said, "but only if Sirius allows it, and we will need to have a way of communication, as Poppy is my official healer for this pregnancy."

"I will brew your potions forthwith," Severus informed me, and I raised my eyebrows. "I won't have you taking any swill that Horace makes you, lovestruck as he is with Minerva. Kreacher is capable of fetching ingredients, isn't he?"

"I would assume so, yes," I said softly. "The House of Black likely had at least one potion maker, so he, or his ancestors, could have held that position..."

Kreacher snapped back into being, Morgana and Maldue securely in his arms, along with a small leather satchel, which I assumed held their belongings. "Kreacher has fetched Mistress Cressida's familiars," he reported, and Morgana jumped to my shoulders, while Maldue did the same to Severus, much to my amusement. "Kreacher has spoken with Master Sirius, and Master Sirius is adamant that Kreacher accompanies Mistress Cressida and Master Snape to Prince Manor," he said quickly.

Severus, meanwhile, was staring daggers at the Jarvey. "Maldue, I presume?"

"A pleasure to make your better acquaintance, sir," Maldue said with a smile. "Cressida has been telling us all about you these last few months, and I think she really—"

"Thank you, Maldue, that will be all for now," I said quickly, turning to Kreacher again. "Would you like to accompany us, Kreacher? It is in Gloucestershire..."

"It is a Jacobean property, having been in the Prince family since the early-1600s," Severus explained, once he realized I didn't know too terribly much about the property. "It is quite large, sits on a fair amount of acreage, and is surrounded by parkland and a rather large forest. Of course, we don't expect to be the only house-elf in residence, Kreacher, as it is quite a bit larger than that of Grimmauld Place, as that is considered a house in town, as opposed to a country estate, which this is. If you have any problems, Cressida and I will be on hand to answer them, and, if you have any thoughts on other house-elves that you believe would do well in our service, please don't hesitate to bring them up."

Kreacher bowed his head. "Kreacher accepts this generous offer, and vows to serve the House of Prince until his dying day."

I gasped as a beam of gold light surrounded them all, before it burst, sending a shower of sparks around them. "What was...?"

"House-elf magic," Severus breathed, "very powerful."

Kreacher looked around the space, before summoning trunks as quickly as he could, and shrank down the items he knew to belong to Severus would being asked. It was a fascinating process, watching the house-elf at work, and he ultimately did the same to my belongings as well, never complaining throughout the process. Finally, Severus, Morgana, Maldue, Kreacher, and I stood in the empty dungeons room, with the only things remaining being the built-in bookshelves and the fireplace.

"Kreacher will take the belongings to Prince Manor and return shortly for Master Snape and Mistress Cressida," he informed them both, and popped away.

I blinked. "How can he know where to go?" I whispered.

"Since he bonded to us as our house-elf, he automatically knows the location of all the Prince family properties," Severus explained patiently. "As such, he can also procure us things from Gringotts with a mere handwritten note, and pick up orders for us in Hogsmeade, Diagon Alley, or any other Wizarding District in the world."

Kreacher returned not a moment later, and offered his hands to Severus. "Are Master Snape and Mistress Cressida prepared to leave for Prince Manor?"

I looked up at Severus. "No time to say goodbye, then?"

Severus shook his head. "I'm afraid not. Minerva will give our explanations and apologies to anyone who can be trusted to know them."

I nodded, looking past Severus and into the bedroom for the last time, where I had spent one of the best nights of my life. It was so hard to believe that, after everything, that I barely knew my husband, that he had returned, and was standing right in front of me. I lowered my eyes, and saw that both he and Kreacher were offering me their hands. Heart in my throat, I took them, and we popped away, though I was unknowing what the next few moments would bring.