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CELESTEΒ
frowned when her parents came to her room, all smiley and happy. That was a very unusual sight, normally they had worry in their eyes. She got up from her bed and walked over to her parents who immediately trapped her into a huge embrace. Celeste sighed and hugged them back, taking her parents hug in, knowing that she won't be with them for too long.
"What has gotten you two so smiley?" Celeste asked as she carefully pulled away from her parents. "Don't take it the wrong way, I really like seeing you like this but it's just littleΒ strange."
Narcissa chuckled. "We thought that we could spend some family time now. Especially since..."
"...since I'm going away and don't know when I'll see you again," Celeste sighed, looking down at the floor. She took a deep breath in and exhaled, if her parents weren't crying, neither was she. She lifted her head up again and met her parents' adoring eyes. "So, what are we going to do?"
"Well, we thought maybe we could have a little late birthday evening for you and Draco," Lucius said as he smoothened Celeste's hair.
"Birthday? It was months ago," Celeste frowned.
Narcissa gasped before shaking her head. "W-when have you celebrated it?" She never realized that Celeste probably didn't know her real birthday.
"In January...it's very common with adopted children. They aren't entirely sure how old we're so our birthdays are usually the first of January," Celeste explained and by the look on her parents faces, her birthday wasn't first of January. "And it clearly isn't on January. When is it?"
"Fifth of June," Narcissa smiled fondly. And then it occurred her, if Celeste didn't know her birthday, how did she know her real name. "If you didn't know your birthday, how did you know your name?"
Celeste shrugged. "Apparently there was a note with my name and the year I was born when I was found in front of the orphanage."
"Oh, I see," Narcissa sighed with teary eyes before glancing at Lucius who tried his best not to spill any tears.
"But it was a nice effort from Dumbledore" Celeste smirked. "At least I got to keep my name."
Lucius grimaced at the mention of the man who was responsible for the years of pain his family's been through. Then he turned to look at his daughter and couldn't' help but smile by the sight of her. The moment was however stopped short when he heard a too familiar sob escaping his wife's lips.
He quickly wrapped his arm around his wife's shoulders. "Now now Cissa, let's not cry," he said softly.
"Like you aren't," Celeste smirked at her father who merely laughed at his daughter's words.Β
"Anyhow...." Lucius said. "You have to leave tomorrow morning to make sure you won't get to His radar. And now that you know that your birthday was just weeks ago, maybe we could celebrate it with Draco. Apparently he didn't celebrated it either this year."
"Yes, that's true," Narcissa said after finally snapping out of her thoughts. "It might not be as grand as it was when you two were little but I think it's more memorable if it's just the four of us."
Celeste nodded, grinning. "Yes well I don't have any interest to celebrate with some strangers I haven't known or seen in years."
A regretful look appeared on her parents face and she mentally cursed her tongue. Under no circumstances did she mean her mother or fatherΒ β just their possible friends or relatives if there were any left. She quickly left her bed and walked to stand just in front of her mother. She looked at her with her golden eyes and gave her a bright smile.
"You know that I didn't mean you or dad, right?" She asked and glanced to her right where her father was standing.Β
Narcissa managed to nod but Celeste could tell that her mother wasn't being truthful with her.
"You aren't strangers. I mean I did spend the first four years of my life with you," Celeste reminded them and while she noticed her father smiling at her, her mother stayed quiet. "Mummy... you aren't a stranger. You're.... you are my mother."
"Oh..." sighed Narcissa, tears threatening to leave her eyes once again.
Celeste nodded with a shy smile. She wrapped her arms around her mother's torso and rested her chin on the woman's shoulder.Β
"I have memories of you. I might not remember everything but some bits, and you are there. Both of you and Draco."
Narcissa didn't say anything but tightened her hold on Celeste while Lucius gently stroked the blonde girl's Malfoy locks.Β
"I might have been raised by many, many people..." sighed Celeste and stepped away from her mother who wasn't too happy to let the girl go. "...and I think that I'm part of everyone. I'm part of my adoptive mum and dad, and I'm part of Will and Olivia because after all, they are the ones whom I have spent the most time with. But I am also part of you even if I haven't lived with you my entire life."
"I mean, I look like you two and you were the first parents I ever had. You are not strangers to me."
"Thank you..." whispered Narcissa, pressing a kiss on Celeste's forehead.Β
Lucius sent Celeste a grateful smileΒ β he knew how much hearing Celeste say all those things meant to Narcissa and to him.
"And just to remind you, I didn't forget you because I wanted to," said Celeste, unsure if she had told her parents that Dumbledore had erased her memories of them. "My memories were removed."
"What?" Asked Lucius and glanced at his wife who shook her head. "Your memories were taken?"
"Dumbledore did so," muttered Celeste.Β
It was a relief that Celeste didn't choose to forget about them but it only made Narcissa and Lucius more furious at Dumbledore. Celeste could tell that if Dumbledore wouldn't already be deadΒ β he would be that in matter of minutes.Β
Celeste shrugged. "But enough of the bad things. Should I go and get Draco? I happen to like birthday parties," she grinned happily.Β
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"DRACO!"Β
Celeste squealed as she jumped on Draco's bed. She kept jumping up and down until the boy groaned and opened his eyes, only to see his twin.
He quickly pulled himself up to sit and with his hand, he reached for Celeste and pulled her to sit was well. The blonde girl chuckledΒ β a habit Draco remembers her owning already as a child. Celeste was always chuckling, giggling or laughing at the most ridiculous things. She was a very happy child and it seems that she still is.
Draco envied her a little for that.Β
"What are you jumping about?" He asked wondering, slightly amused to see his sister so happy and smiley.
"Mum and dad wants to celebrate our birthday," Celeste said and smirked.Β
Draco frowned. "Our birthday was awhile ago."
"Yeah but you didn't celebrate it. I did but back in January," explained Celeste.Β
"All right then. When are mum and dad planning to have this little celebration?"Β
"Now, you dumdum," Celeste grinned widely and jumped down from Draco's bed. She took his hand and dragged him out of the room, before they started to race like children to find their parents.
They ran the big staircase down, laughing and teasing each other, before they reached the downstair foyer. They both stopped, catching their breath and giving each other a pat on each others' backs. It was strange to Celeste, how quickly she felt like home and how she was able to play with her brother like she wasn't away for over a decade.Β
"You cheated," Draco smirked as they started to walk towards the drawing room.
"As if," Celeste shoved her tongue at her brother who returned the favor by doing the same thing.
"I thought you two were seventeen. Not three," Lucius said with a little laugh when he noticed his children's childish behavior.Β
Celeste rolled her eyes slightly, making Lucius laugh again. He thought the child was so much like Narcissa, she looked like her but she also had her manners. No one would ever think to see Narcissa Malfoy to roll her eyes, but when she was younger and more carefree, she had adapted the art of rolling her eyes from her sister Bella.Β
"I haven't spend time with my brother since I was four. We can be childish if we want," Celeste teased, making everyone in the room smile but a smile of sadness. "Oh, I didn't mean it..."
Narcissa shook her head and walked over to kiss Celeste's forehead. "It's all right. No need to worry. Now, we have some presents for you two," she smiled and guided Celeste and Draco further into the room, only to be greeted by a stash of presents.
Celeste's eyes grew wider than ever, it weren't just few presents, it must had been dozens of presents. They were all different sizes presents, some were smaller and some were huge. She knew that the family was rich, but this...
"That's not few," Celeste said and turned to look at her parents who were standing right behind her and Draco. "Was it always like this?"
"I swear they used to get us fifty presents, each," Draco smirked and walked over to the pyramid of presents but Celeste just stood still.
"That's too much," she sighed but her parents just chuckled.
Lucius placed his hand on Celeste's shoulder. "Nothing's too much for you two."
"Obnoxious," Celeste smirked but tiptoed to give her father a peck on his cheek, before heading to the presents and Draco.Β
They spent hours opening their presents. Celeste got so many dresses that she probably will be at least twenty-five when she has managed to wear them all. Then there were jewelries, mostly ones that has been in her family for centuries. And of course to match all of those dresses, shoes. Pairs and pairs of shoes.Β
The Malfoy Manor has never been so full of happiness than that evening. All four Malfoys, the parents and their children were laughing, sharing memories and stories, drinking pumpkin juice and just having the best time of their lives, although they knew it wasn't going to last very long.
"So Andromeda is your sister?" Celeste asked again from her mother, she had hard time believing her on the matter. "But how come you've never mentioned her? She didn't mention you either when I met her."
Narcissa sighed and stroked Celeste's hair. "Well ummm.. it is a long story. One I don't enjoy telling. Maybe she will tell you, once you meet her again."
Celeste nodded and felt sudden moisture in her eyes. "I think I've started to realize why you're sad and tearful most of the time," she continued biting her lip, quite surprised by the sudden rush of emotions hitting her.Β
Maybe it was because she realized she has to leave soon, or because she wasn't even sure if she'll ever see her family again.
"Oh sweetheart," Narcissa sighed and used her fingers to lift Celeste's chin, so she could meet the girl's golden teary eyes. "Just because Andromeda will be around doesn't mean that you won't stay with your uncle."
Celeste shook her head while her tears started to pour down her face. "I didn't mean that. I meant you two. I don't want to leave you again. What if I won't see you again? What if something bad happens and..."
"Then you'll be safe," said Lucius.
"But Draco...."
Draco shook his head. "I'm already part of this. You still have a way out."
"We couldn't keep your brother from this. We tried but it was out our reach. Like Draco said, you can still leave," explained Lucius. "If you would stay, then you might never see your uncle again."
Lucius still didn't like William who has been like a father to CelesteΒ β he saw William as an replacement to him which he didn't likeΒ β but he knew that this might make Celeste understand the seriousness of the situation.Β
Celeste swallowed β she couldn't live without having William in her life but it didn't make her feel any better to know that this might as well be the case between her and her parents. She might never see them again.Β
"I-I love you..." whispered Celeste before burying her face against her mother chest. Β
unedited,
sry for typosΒ
super sorry for this super crappy chapter:))