Cassie Potter - Lady Gryffindor

Chapter thirty one

Chapter Thirty One

Cassie and Ginny had just arrived back to the Manor when Sirius woke up. He joined both ladies in the kitchen to drink hot chocolate. To his credit, Sirius didn't ask what Ginny was doing there. Cassie supposed he may have heard the patronus but as he didn't stir to acknowledge it, she thought otherwise. When he walked in, he kissed her cheek and wished them both a Merry Christmas. They had already celebrated Yule as a family on the 21st of December. Cassie began making her special Christmas pancakes whilst Ginny ran about waking everyone up. Sirius assisted by singing 'God rest ye Merry Hippogriffs' at the top of his voice. Cassie laughed when she heard Regulus mumble what sounded like 'every bloody year, never fucking changes.' She was soon joined in the kitchen by Harry.

"Aunt Cas, when did Ginny get here?" he asked confused.

"Ah, Arthur asked me to collect her this morning. She will be with us until school returns. Merry Christmas Harry." She replied, giving him a kiss on the top of his head.

"Merry Christmas Auntie Cas. I'll go set the table." He said.

Sirius joined her soon after, wrapping his arm around her waist. She leaned into him, breathing in his musky scent. "I never thought I'd get this chance again, this is the best year yet." She whispered.

"Me too darling, me too." He replied huskily, kissing her cheek again before making off to help Harry get the rest of the table set.

Eventually one by one all teenagers were seated at the dining table. Cassie levitated a massive platter that had a variety of pancake flavours, bacon, strawberries, bananas and blueberries. She then brought in a selection of syrups, some whipped cream, butter and chocolate spread. Harry had laid out orange juice, pumpkin juice and water. Cassie had made a warm pot of hot chocolate, coffee and tea. It made her feel like a little girl again, her mum always made pancakes on Christmas morning, she'd decided this year that she would continue the tradition again. Especially with a house full of teenagers.

"Bloody hell Cassie. Did you make enough? It's like the spirit of Dorea has taken you over." Sirius said chuckling.

Cassie threw a blueberry at his head in response. "Shut up and eat."

As they were tucking in, Hermione decided to ask the question that had been stuck in her head when she saw Tippy take a seat at the table with them.

"Um Cassie? Does Tippy not work today?" She asked meeting Cassie's eyes.

Harry had warned Cassie about Hermione's championing of house elves rights. "Tippy has any day off she choses Hermione. She is a free elf." Cassie finished. Shocking many around the table. Tippy continued for her.

"Tippy be's a free elf all her life. Tippy's mum was a free elf before Tippy. I has worked for the Potter's all my life. I is paid, I has a room and I am family." She finished warming Cassie's heart.

"My mother and father freed Tippy's mother, Toots when they took over the running of the Manor. When Toots had Tippy, she was granted the same freedom. Tippy's family has served the Potter's for generations but for the last two they have been free. Tippy will always have a room here at the manor, she is paid for her time." Cassie finished.

Hermione seemed satisfied with the answer and went back to her breakfast. A short time later, they had finished nearly all the breakfast food. Cassie waved her wand and everything flew to the kitchen and began cleaning itself.

"Right children, Tippy and Reg, let's head into the living room and open presents." She said laughing as everyone shot up from their seats and rushed into the room.

Cassie noticed that their guests stood awkwardly, unsure of where to go. "You each have a stocking with your name on it, where your stocking is, you will find your Christmas presents from us. The rest of the presents are until the tree, we will hand these out last." The Weasley's turned to stare at her in shock, before slowly making their way over to the large pile of gifts. Cassie had called in a few favours last night to collect some gifts for Ginny as well as the few she had made.

As the children were ripping open their gifts, Cassie grabbed her camera and began taking pictures of them all. She had never felt so happy. When the room was sufficiently filled with opened wrapping paper, she vanished the lot, so that all that remained was each child's gifts.

Harry's presents had been wrapped in a deep red paper with snitches adorning it. Hermione's had been wrapped in light green that had a book design on it. Fred's was covered in a forest green with little fireworks on it. George's was in a bright red with fireworks too. Ginny's is a light blue paper covered in broomsticks. Cassie had spent time personalising each person's wrapping paper. She had bought each person some clothes, a board game, and she had handmade sugar cookies in a jar. Harry was given some of his father's old quidditch gear as well as some new gloves for playing quidditch. Hermione was given some books both muggle and magical, as well as some magical toiletries. Fred and George were given a joint gift of 10000 galleons of startup money as well as a collection of muggle pranks. Cassie had bought Ginny a Nimbus 2001 and some magical toiletries.

The twins and Ginny stared at her for a long time before Ginny tearfully launched herself at her, thanking her. The twins stood and shook Sirius' hand and then gave her a hug. Harry was sat holding his father's old quidditch jersey and running his thumb over the Potter on the back. It was signed by all his yearmates and just next to the Potter in block letters was the name Lily and a heart. Harry launched himself at his Aunt and Sirius pulling them in and thanking them tearfully.

Eventually it was Sirius turn to open his present, she had gotten him a new leather jacket and a new expensive watch she had caught him eyeing the last time they were in Hogsmeade. He put the jacket on immediately.

"Do I look as good in this one as I did when you got me one in sixth year?" He asked smirking at her.

"Oh i don't know, you got kinda old." She said with a wink. "Old! Old! I'll give you old." He replied picking her up and twirling her around. The kids were laughing watching the pair of them carry on. Sirius eventually put her down and then he got serious.

"Cas, I had intended to make this elaborate and grandious but I was reliably informed that it wasn't necessary. I have loved you since you I knocked you over on the train in first year, when you beat up Alecto Carrow for hexing me in second year, when you saved Reggie from falling off his broom in third year, when you out drank me during truth or dare in fourth year after we won the quidditch cup, when you screamed at my mother at King's Cross in fifth year and threatened to murder her if she turned her wand on me again, I have a reason behind falling in love with you for every year I've known you but the reason I love you as much as I do today, is because you always had faith in me and you always knew the man I was. You have created the most perfect Christmas morning today and I really want to have a million more with you but I want to call you my wife next Christmas. So will you please marry me in six days?" He said holding her hands in his. Cassie's eyes were filled with tears as she recalled each memory and each year spent with man before her. Barely a millisecond had passed when she pulled him in for a kiss and then declared she would with a loud 'YES.'

Sirius laughed. Regulus told them to get a room. Tippy popped into the room with Champagne for the adults and Bucks Fizz for the teens, which was definitely more orange than fizz.