BY fates design

In every life

When the screen turned black people slowly filtered out of the hall. Hushed gossip about the lives of the people from the future drifted between the past generations.

"Hey puddle," Cassiopeia kissed Percy's shoulder to get his attention, "I'm going to go get some food from the kitchen then go for a walk. Do you want to join me?" Percy thought for a moment. His head turned to look at her, brushing her onyx hair from her blue eyes. "I would love to. Let's go." He stood first and held his hand to her. Cassiopeia grinned and stood, one hand subconsciously going to her stomach for a second before falling to her side, the other remaining in a tight grip with Percy's.

"So," Percy packed a container of strawberries into a large picnic basket, "what are we going to do with Evens?" Cassiopeia groaned. She had tried to put the woman out of her head until after their walk. Picking up a jar of pickles and peanut butter she put them into the basket.

"As soon as we have finished with our picnic I'm going to go and help clear her of any compulsions or charms." She folded up a stack of napkins, "it's the least I could do to help change the future for her." Percy walked around the table to his wife's side. He wrapped her in his arms and planted a kiss on her head. "You are the most incredible person." He muttered. Picking up the basket he took her hand in his and they wandered out of the school.

Percy had spread out a blanked for them to sit on and eat by the edge of the black lake. Cassiopeia was leaning into his side with an open jar of pickles on her lap as well as a tub of peanut butter. "I don't even like pickles," she commented, "but these are so good." She took another bite of a pickle smothered in the peanut butter. Percy just nodded along, he had stopped questioning what his wife ate.

"Hey you guys!" Achlys came bounding over, "hate to crash your date but can I sit with you?" Cassiopeia sat up straighter and ushered the blonde girl to her side. "Course Betty, come her." She grinned and patted the space beside her. They sat comfortably and enjoyed the time together.

No war. No prophesy. No responsibility. No pressure. Just them. Just Cassiopeia, Percy and Achlys. Just as it had been many times before.

Kira, Eleana, Jake and Alexander will always be Cassiopeia's soul siblings and she would always love them. But Achlys was her platonic soulmate, a third of her being. And Percy was her romantic soulmate, her final piece.

It was often just the three of them, together. They found comfort in each other. No expectations. No facades. No lies. Just them.

"Eleana and your dad are looking for you." Achlys said, "I was supposed to tell you to hurry over but you looked like you needed a break. Don't worry I'll take the fall if they get pissed." She placed a kiss on the blue eyed girl's cheek before helping her stand. "Ok, I'll try be quick so you can wait here for me." Cassiopeia suggested, kissing Percy on the lips and Achlys on the head.

She was in no rush to run looking for them, taking her time to look over the halls she had grown up in. They looked so... different than when she had last seen them, considering they hadn't been knocked down and rebuilt. Some of the paintings were new to her, some of the ones she was used to weren't there. None of them waved to her as she passed by as they would have done in her time.

Nothing was startlingly different about the school but the magic that pulsed around her felt strange: so familiar yet so new. She couldn't pin point the words to describe how the halls felt for there were no words fit to express it.

Eventually reaching the Gryffindor common room where she assumed they were she paused. The door was slightly ajar and the Fat Lady made no move to stop her entering. There were few times she had stepped into the crimson common room, only ever to be with Kira really. It felt unnatural to enter by herself. Sighing she pushed open the portrait and entered.