Finding Family Secrets (Plot People only)

[Cassandra Blackfire G7]

Cassandra rolled up her sleeves as she scrubbed the top of the old chest with dust before opening it. Her mother had finally decided it was time to clean the house of her father's memory. As upset as Cass was about this, she couldn't help but think it was all for the better. The memory of her father was all around, and even though she didn't want to forget him, it was time to move on. Lucky for her, many of her friends, including Dana, had decided to wipe away the memories. Unlocking the chest before her, she found tons of old vinyl records. Smiling, she saw an album called " Meet the Beatles." Not only had it been her father's favoriate, it had been the band's first album.

" Oy, Dana, come look at this." She held the old cover in her hand. " Dad used to make me listen to this for hours at night. I would get so annoyed doing homework. I hated to admit it, but he is the reason I love this band." Tears were beginning to well up in her eyes, but she wasn't going to cry right now. She had done all her crying. Walking over to another set of shelves, she found a picture of her from when she was in elementary school.

Laughing at her gawkish grin and very large glasses, she showed it to Dana. " You wouldn't belive this, but that's me." She smiled to herself. " Mom will want this. I'm going to run it down to her. Be back in a minute." Sneezing as she blew some dust of the old picture frame, she ran down the attic stairs to present her mother with the picture.

[dana]

Dana looked up from where she shifting some random crate filled with old books to get closer to the next crate. Cass’s family was cleaning the house from memories of his father, so Dana had offered to come and help Cass. In a way it was certainly hard for her friend to be doing it.
Glancing up as Cass called her and showed some flat disk – whatever it was Cass said she was going to show it to her mother and was gone from the attic before Dana had a chance to actually ask what the disk was. Deciding to ask when Cass returned Dana moved grabbed hold of the crate of old toys again and tried to pull it further. Not an easy task as it was relatively heavy.

Dana pulled the crate and as it didn’t move glared at it angrily, while bushing a strand of her hair back. Shifting a little Dana pulled again and the crate moved a whole inch this time. Well, alright, maybe not as much as an inch. But it moved. So inch by inch Dana dragged the crate away until something that had been holding it in it’s place snapped and Dana went flying backwards with a rather loud crash.
Grumbling loudly and rubbing her head Dana sat up again once again glaring at the crate as if it was the crate’s fault. And who on earth put this old wardrobe here? At least the doors had been open.
Trying to scramble to her feet Dana felt something pulling at her and peeked over her shoulder hoping she hadn’t torn her clothes on some sharp edge. It looked as if the impact of Dana’s fall had forced a secret stash in the floor of the wardrobe to open. Loosening her robe carefully Dana pulled out a leather-bound book hidden there and frowned at it – how could anyone treat any book this carelessly?

Opening the book Dana grinned immediately recognizing the contents. She had one like it at home – even though Dana’s family-line was longer and more wide. There were family-trees and relations drawn there with a couple of picture of wedding couples and just-born babies. A real family-album for generations. Dana hadn’t known muggles kept these things and for this long time period.
Skimming through the book curiously Dana decided to show it to Cass and her mother – they would certainly be interested in it.
Suddenly Dana’s finger froze and she turned back two pages. She had recognized those names. Cynthia and Daniel Blackfire. But they were pure-bloods… so why were they mentioned here? Cass was a muggle-born.
Slowly getting to her feet Dana walked down-stairs to the living-room her eyes still locked on those two names.
“I just found it upstairs – it was in a hidden under a double floor of the ward-robe there. Why are there pure-blooded wizards mentioned in this records of family-tree, mrs. Logton?” Dana asked with a thoughtful frown while looking towards Cass’ mother.

[Cynthia Logton]

Hisssssssssssssss went the kettle, signifying the water was boiled. Cynthia got up from her seat at the kitchen table with another glance at the article she had been reading in a glossy. She could hear things thumping up in the attic and cringed every time. She trusted Cass not to destroy her father’s things of course… but accidents did happen. After her husband’s death Cynthia had brought a number of things that reminded her of him up to the attic for storage, fuzzy in the head and though not wanting to look at them she didn’t want to regret getting rid of something later. She finally felt ready to clear it out though and was glad her daughter had come home with some friends to help. She dropped some tea bags into a pot before pouring the just boiled water in after it to steep. She arranged the pot and a number of tea cups on a tray and brought it out into the living room, ready to call down the children when it was ready.

Picking up the magazine from the kitchen table Cynthia relaxed on the couch waiting for the tea. Just as she started getting back into her article though she heard someone come down the stairs and looked up expectantly; what did they have now to break her heart? It was Cass’ friend… Dana? As soon as Cynthia heard “under a double floor of the ward-robe” she knew there was cause to panic and sprung up from her seat; magazine falling to the floor forgotten.

She snatched it out of the young girls hands with all her might, hands shaking like leaves and glanced where Dana had indicated, though she knew the page by heart and didn’t have to look. She remembered how she had traced those lines with pride before… the unpleasantness. She also remembered stashing it away both hoping and dreading that it would never be seen again… Oh why had they been so foolish as to keep it?

Cynthia was a proud woman though and refused to fall to pieces over this. She snapped the book shut and gathered all the strength she had while trying to figure out what to do next… ‘any but break down’ she mentally pleaded with herself before looking square at the girl. “I have no idea what you are talking about. These are my and my husband’s ancestors; all muggles like ourselves. We were blessed with a witch for a daughter against all odds. Now why don't you go call the others for tea please while I take care of this; don't want it getting lost do we.” She said slightly overly forceful but its better than falling apart… right?

[dana]

Dana arched an eye-brow as Cass’s mother snatched the book out of her hands and tried to cover up what Dana had seen. But her hands were shaking, her voice wavered as well and she tried to hide her nervousness too much. Dana having had years of practice of trying to read Slytherins – the masters of hiding their secrets – took all these facts into account.
“Don’t want it getting lost? Is that why it was stashed away somewhere, where no one would see it?” Dana asked with a sneer not bothering to lower her voice at all, “And if Cynthia and Daniel Blackfire are your husbands ancestors, then your husband was no ordinary muggle,” Dana continued with surprising calmness – she had learned from her grand-mother who was counted to be one of the best, “Cynthia and Daniel are pure-bloods. They disappeared some years ago during Voldemorts reign, because unlike most part of the Blackfire family they opposed his reign. I have learned the history of pure-blooded families and I have learned well.”<br>
Dana stepped forward with her eyes narrowing slightly as she lowered herself into the main arm-chair in the room and throwing one leg over her knee managed to appear royal as she kept an icy glare on Cass’ mother – Dana had learned that such intimidating and forcefully taking control of the situation always seemed to help in pushing things the way you wanted them to go.

“Maybe I should look through the albom. Maybe I will recognize some more names – living relatives in the magical world who I might introduce Cass to,” Dana sneered hoping to crack Cass’ mother appearance and see some kind of proof to her guess that not everything was as good as it seemed at first glance.

[Cynthia Logton]

Despite her frantic state Cynthia composed herself enough to arch her eyebrow as the smug little girl asked why it was hidden away and suggested flipping through the family albums. “Yes it was hidden away so it wouldn’t get lost; we always knew just where it was and didn’t worry about children ruining it before they are old enough to appreciate it for what it is; their history. We couldn’t exactly leave something so important lying around with a two year old Cass ripping up the house now could we? She will want that when she is older and more mature and we wanted it to be in good condition for her. And yes you are correct in saying that my husband and I were called Blackfire long before Cass was born but I don't know what you mean by not ordinary muggles. We changed our name to Logton because we were tired of the odd suspicious looks we received when we told people our names.” She said hands still clasped tightly on the book of genealogies.

“If you would like to flip through the family albums they are in the dining room; bottom of the china cupboard. Ask Cass to get them out; she knows where they are. I can assure you that beyond some adorable pictures of our daughter though you will find nothing of interest.” Cynthia said while taking a seat on the couch and looking at this girl; her backbone strengthening with every word. Cynthia had been a Slytherin for gosh sakes; she has weathered stronger storms than this. She just needed to be reminded how to deal with the friction.

[dana]

The woman was good. Gained control of herself rather quickly for what Dana applauded her mentally. She was far from the level of older Slytherins though or maybe Dana was just used to reading people.
“Worried about little children? Wouldn’t it be safer to lock it in a writing table for example?” Dana asked incredulously at the obviously looked for explanation of Cass’s mom. Did she really think that Dana was that thick? There was a reason why she was a Ravenclaw. Even though she probably didn’t know Dana’s house or what it was famous for.

‘Blackfire’ – the name rang in Dana’s ears causing her eyes to grow cold and piercing as she kept a level glare on Cynthia, while drawling lazily from the knowledge she had thanks to History lessons and Pyro: “Blackfire family. Not too influential, but they have their fair share of power in England. Suspected of connections with Voldemort and mostly in Slytherin, except for a couple of members of the family going into hiding during his reign of terror.”<br>Dana kept a close eye on Cynthia to see her reaction – almost all wizards and witches were startled when someone spoke Voldemort’s name as freely as Dana just had. Seeing some kind of betraying reaction might help Dana decide what exactly was going on here right now or how much the woman knew of the names mentioned in the family tree.

Clicking her tongue Dana reached her hand out and picked up the phone, letting her finger slide down its smooth surface: “Blackfires are known pureblooded wizards and it is not an ordinary last name. I’m sure the Ministry here would like to study that family-tree a little. Maybe I should give them a call and tell them what I stumbled onto and add that as a regular muggle you obviously can’t know the importance of such discovery.”<br>Maybe this would faze the woman a little – the Ministry of Magic was reachable with a muggle phone in case some wizard or witch got into trouble among muggles with no other way to contact the Ministry. Maybe Dana could bribe them a little to make them come over quickly using the names of her grand-parents. Politics and bureaucracy were useful tools, if you know how to exploit them.

[Cynthia Logton]

“Lock it in a writing table?” Cynthia scoffed. “Don’t you think a genealogy chart is far to important to be put some place of such high traffic? Why those drawers are opened at least 10 times a day; they are needed that’s why they are there. And so it comes back to where to put it to keep it from the hands of children; ergo the place you found it.” She ceased her explanation though and listened as Dana spouted off her knowledge of their family and disturbingly her own disappearance. She tried to remain unfazed though as she saw the walls crumbling around her. She heard with half an ear and made no show she heard any of it; her mind wandering trying to figure out her next move.

Thankfully it was made for her by the young girl in the form of a game of chicken; put both names on the line and see who gives in first, and Cynthia never gave in. “Go ahead and call whoever you wish. Though I seriously doubt you could get a hold of anybody on the weekend ((sorry Dana but it has to be the weekend considering you guys aren’t in school)) and even if you do they would not be interested in our genealogy. First off everyone on this list besides Cassandra for all living memory have been non-magical and secondly were they any “pureblood” or whatever people on here wouldn’t your ministry already have their records? Why would they want to study any non-magical offspring?” She questioned the girl trying to look as composed as possible after having her own history recited to her; at least the girl had given her something to laugh at and distract her by suggestion phoning the ministry.

[dana]

Dana shrugged calmly. A lot of people counted such threats just pure bluff. That just made it all the more effective, when Dana actually carried the threat out. Bureaucracy was a slow tool, but it was effective. Picking the phone up Dana thought for a moment – it was weekend, so the Ministry might not react quickly enough. However… With an icy smile rising to her lips Dana dialed the home-number of a family-friend.
“Mr. Grinsby? Yes, it’s Dana here,” Dana exchanged a couple of polite phrases with the half-blood gentleman, before launching onto her reason for calling, “I know you aren’t working today, but I found a family-tree album here. It’s in the family of a muggle-born and I know you are working on a paper why some muggles have children with magical abilities. I figured it might interest you, especially since I saw some names that I think are pure-bloods.” As mr. Grinby started showering her with questions Dana pulled the phone a bit further from her ear seeing Cass entering the room.

“Hope you don’t mind, Cass, I called a friend. Found your family-treeline hidden in the wardrobe and noticed some pure-blooded names there,” Dana told Cass having shielded the phone with her hand for a moment, before turning back to the call and after giving out the address and promising to wait for mr. Grinsby for the hour that would take him to come at most, Dana hung up.
With a sarcastic smirk playing around her lips Dana threw one of her legs over the other and shifted into a bit more comfortable position as she nodded to Cass’s mom like a queen would to a dismissed subject: “Called an old family-friend. All inconveniences you might endure will be fully compensated, by me if not no one else.”

Ignoring Cass’s mother completely after the sharp remark Dana smiled warmly to her friend: “Mr. Grinsby is a nice guy. And he has researched the genealogy of members of the wizarding communities for years. At the brief glance I got before your mother took the album into her hands, I am pretty sure that you have relatives that are magical, but I’d need to look into it a little bit more to be sure – you know I have learned the history of pure-blooded families. But if there are any, then mr. Grinsby is the authority to turn to for proof.”


((This is your sign to show up, Cass!))

[Cassandra Blackfire G7]

Cass was surprised to hear a mild arguing coming from the kitchen. She heard Dana using her "uppity" voice as she called it to herself. She loved Dana to death, and considered her one of her best friends; however, she seemed to be too Slytherin like sometimes. She finished placing the childhood photo she found in the attic on the mantle when she heard Dana begin to dial a phone. Finally letting her curiousity get the better of her, she had to know what Dana and her mother were arguing about.

Walking into the kitchen, she raised an eyebrow at Dana when she motioned to a dark book in her mother's hands. Looking at her mother, she did notice that she looked a little nervous and upset about it. Walking over to her mother and taking the black book out of her shocked hands, she opened it. " Pure bloods, Dana? Dana, I'm a muggle born, there...are...no....pure....bloods...."

Her voice trailed off as she looked at the names that graced the pages of the book. Reading the name, she said it out loud, " Blackfire...." Still in disbelief, she looked at the cover of the book and easily recognized the crest on the cover. Pyro had shown it to her a few times even though he detested his family. She looked at Dana, and then she looked at her mother in disbelief. Thinking about to the first time she had seen the crest, she couldn't believe that she had been so blind. She had even recognized it when Pyro had shown it to her. It was the symbol on the old ring her father had kept in the back of his sock drawer. The ring he had never worn. The ring she had found in her coat pocket magically after her father died.

Becoming suddenly angry at her mother, she stepped back from her with the book clutched lovingly to her chest. She was afraid it was going to disappear. She was not going to have to live with the stigma of being a muggleborn ever again! " You lied to me! Ever since that ring father had appeared at school with me, I knew something was wrong! Why would a Blackfire family ring follow me around unless it had something to do with Pyro, but now I know why. Your Cynthia Blackfire, and dad was Daniel Blackfire. I'm actually a Blackfire! My whole life has been a lie!" Cass wiped the few tears that had escaped from her eyes from her face, trying to look not so betrayed.