The Queen of Vipers || Fred Weasley

II.VIII

The clock had chimed one o'clock sixteen minutes ago.

Electra sat on the chaise lounge by the fireplace. Pride and Prejudice lay open on her lap, but she's read the same page over a dozen times as the minutes slowly crept by. She couldn't concentrate on anything but the ticking of the clock above the fireplace or the millions of thoughts running rampant in her mind that tried to push away as each one was more anxiety-inducing than the next.

She had taken precautions before their meeting time. The Muffliato Charm had been placed around the common room, as well as the Intruder Charm so she'd know if anyone decided to show up other than herself and her father.

She leaned her head back, giving up on the book and stared up at the ribbons of tapestries draping from the center to the walls of the domed ceiling.

Cedric had noticed the difference in her a little too quickly for her liking. Electra liked to stay a mystery, but somehow Cedric was always able to read her like a book. She regretted telling him what Fred had said to her, the anger that flashed on his face had worried her that he'd do something stupid on her behalf. She'd told him to take it out on them on the Quidditch field next year. That didn't seem to quell his anger, but he agreed.

Electra was waiting for the first task to be done with already. She and Cedric had spent every waking moment together, girlfriends, snogging partners and whatever Adrian was, left in the dust, to prepare him for Tuesday. She knew it was selfish, but she liked having Cedric all to herself again. She'd missed her best friend these past few weeks. And she could tell he'd missed her too. After Tuesday they were going to have to do some serious rearranging of their schedules to make some Electra-Cedric time. Their partners were just going to have to understand that they were a package deal. She wondered how Hadeon would take that.

"PSST!"

Electra jumped, her book falling off her lap and onto the floor. She sat up, her head snapping towards the fire where her father's head floated within the flames.

She just stared for a long moment. He looked almost as she remembered him from her photo in her locket. His face was fuller, his hair, which was matted and shoulder length the last time she saw him, was silky and cropped to his jaw in loose curls and his eyes were sparkling happily as they peered up at Electra. He looked healthy, younger, and more like the handsome man in the photograph in her locket. Yes, he was handsome. Beautiful even.

She suddenly remembered what Mad-Eye had said in his office.

'The Black family is just as known for their good looks as their vast vault and 'noble' history.'

The thought was driven out of her head when Sirius smiled at her, the corners of his eyes crinkling. She felt the burning of tears in the back of her eyes.

She pushed off the chaise and knelt down in front of his face, clutching her locket tight in her fist, and the smile that broke across her face was one she hadn't felt in a long while. "Dad."

His smile broadened. "Look at how you've grown, my darling girl," he said in his softest tone reserved only for his daughter. "I'm sorry I missed your birthday, Ella." He sighed longingly. "Seventeen already? You're no longer that little chubby-legged girl that wreaked all sorts of havoc in that dumpy apartment of ours, now are you?"

Electra felt a pang of sadness. She wished she remembered those days. "I still manage to wreak plenty of havoc, don't you worry about that," she joked despite herself. She gave him a sad smile. "I missed you, dad."

He reciprocated her melancholy. "I miss you too, Ella."

"You look better than when I left you." Her eyes surveyed as much of him as she could, looking for any sign of harm. "How are you?"