𝗟𝗜𝗠𝗘𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗖𝗘| hjp

1

CELESTE Estelle Black ran down the stairs. Her footsteps echoed around the house. Actually, twelve Grimmauld place was more of an apartment than a 'house'. Celeste had been living there ever since she could remember with her guardian—

"You should really stop running. You could fall." Regulus Arcturus Black said, looking up from the cup of tea in his hands when the young girl rushed into the kitchen. "What's got you so excited anyway?"

"It's September first!" exclaimed the thirteen year old girl, voice filled with excitement. "I can't wait to head back to Hogwarts. I've been sitting around doing nothing all summer." She whined and sat down on one of the chairs around the long table.

She was starting her third year of Hogwarts, and she couldn't have been more excited.

Celeste put her hands together and leaned forward, looking at her uncle.

Yes. He was her uncle. Not her father, no. Someone else was her father. Another Black. Someone she would never speak of. Someone she hated with all her heart for leaving her when she was only a year old.

Regulus never told her why he left her in detail. All he had told her once when she asked at a young age was, "Your mother died and Sirius was not good with emotions. He didn't know what to do with a child, so he left you to me. You ought to be grateful, in fact. It was either me or the orphanage."

His last words had made her teary eyed, but as she got older, she knew he was right. Which was why she was so close to her uncle. She was grateful for him.

At least someone wanted her.

Plus, Sirius Orion Black had left her for another reason; to be with his new husband, Remus John Lupin— Remus Black, now. Celeste hated them. She hated them all.

"I'd say going to France wasn't 'nothing'." The man pointed out, raising an eyebrow. He was good looking for his age. Well, his age wasn't that old actually. He was only thirty three or thirty four years old. He still had that teenage look, though. With black hair and grey eyes, the signature look for Blacks that even Celeste had inherited. And a chiseled jawline, which was as sharp as a knife.

Celeste crossed her arms and stuck her nose in the air. "We always go to France," she haughtily pointed out. "A change would've been nice. Like Italy or even Spain for once."

Regulus shook his head fondly, his dark curls swishing side to side. "I've spoiled you too much." He let a small smile overtake his face. "Is your trunk ready?"

"Kreacher packed it for me this morning." Celeste replied with a grin. She stood up and rushed to the doorway, turning around at the last second. "Can we go now? My friends are waiting for me at the station."

Regulus nodded and stood up. He grabbed his wand that was on the table and put it in his holster. "Let's go," he said. "Kreacher."

Kreacher popped in with his elf magic and looked up at the man. "Yes, Master Regulus?"