A/N:
Hello everyone!
For those who might be new: This fic is a piece of a larger, Weasley-centric, Fred!Lives AU called the Lumos!Universe. You don't have to have read the main fic (Lumos) to understand the other stories (Mollywobbles, Chaser, Atlas [eventually], and Gambit), but the different fics do connect to each other and build on each other's narratives. (I do highly recommend reading at least Mollywobbles before Gambit, but it's not necessary to enjoy the story as it is.)
I'm currently working towards the end of LUMOS, so most of my attention is focused there. Therefore, Gambit will be sporadically updated. I hope that's okay! <3
Presently, this fic is outlined and partially completed already. Once finished, I'm suspecting it might be between thirty and sixty-thousand words.
As always, I do not own the rights to this story world or to these characters. All typos are my own, and I'm sorry. <3 <3 <3 <3
I hope you're all well and safe, and that you're having a lovely day. <3 <3 <3
With that, grab your snack (maybe some soup), your drink (a nice, hot cuppa for me), and let's dive in. <3
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CONTENT WARNINGS/An Important Note on Cedrella's Backstory: Content warnings will be added where applicable to each chapter, but I wanted to address an element of Cedrella's backstory here in greater depth for those who have not read Mollywobbles.
Before the start of Gambit, at the age of eighteen, Cedrella has survived two instances of **sexual assault (SA) amidst a backdrop of other issues. I am not a healthcare professional/expert, but as a someone who has some amount of related personal experience, I take that subject matter very seriously. I have done my best to treat Cedrella with respect and dignity while handling her past. While some impacts of those events do stretch through her life, I have made a conscious choice to keep some of those details more removed from the reader as a kindness to Cedrella, myself, and others. TLDR: Heavier themes of familial control, general danger/angst, Pure-blood politics, and Wizarding World tensions will be explored in depth, but SA will not be. It is a piece of her story, but it is not her whole story, nor is it the center of her narrative in Gambit.
To set expectations for readers who might be sensitive to this content, when/if the SA specific element of Cedrella's backstory is alluded to, it will not be discussed in detail or explored in a manner that exceeds the story's T-rating, and an appropriate content warning will be included in the chapter's notes.
I also want to emphasize that Cedrella's narrative in Gambit is one of strengthening, learning, growing, and stepping more and more into the incredible personhood of Cedrella Marie Black/Weasley. The story's tone and content will be comparable/similar to what you find in LUMOS and Mollywobbles. <3 <3 <3
That said, please be kind to yourself while reading, and prioritize your mental health and wellness. <3 <3 <3 <3
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Playlist:
"The Big Smoke" by Stuart Roslyn and Audiomachine
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Chapter One: "A Bold Opening"
Cedrella
December 1, 1935
One can force a knife through anything, if they move properly. Dragon scale? At the right angle, it is feeble. Wiggentree Bark? A smooth sawing motion will separate it. Griffin Claw? A matter of balance. The smooth glide of one's right knuckle on the blade, and it snaps right through. But the real secret is how sharp one keeps the potioneering knife.
With a properly maintained blade, the only resistance is internal. Doubt, at whether the Bezoar or Moonstone might recoil and shatter in one's face.
An aversion to taking the stab is merely psychological.
YOU ARE READING
GAMBIT
FanfictionThere is a scorch mark on the House of Black Tapestry where Cedrella's face used to be. One might think a powerful passion had motivated Cedrella to leave her family and all she knew behind. That would be a gross inaccuracy. Cedrella and Septimus We...
