“Dommi, Maman told me to wake you, the Hogwarts letters are here!� Dominique groaned as she rolled over and shoved a pillow over her head in an attempt to block out her sister's voice.

“Dominique, wake up!� Victoire said, trying to pull the pillow out from her grip. “Oh, for Merlin's sake!� she exclaimed when she failed. Dominique grinned with satisfaction as she heard Victoire storm out of the room but then groaned again as she heard her come back in.

“Dominique! Wake up!� Louis cried, jumping up and down on the bed.

“All right, Louis, I'm awake; you can stop jumping on me now,� she said, gently pushing him off. He gave her a quick hug, before he ran out of the room, shouting something about pancakes.

“Are you going to come down stairs now, or am I going to have to call Louis back in?� Victoire said in a sickly sweet voice.

“Victoire, I swear if you don't get the hell out of my room in the next five seconds, I am going to kill you,� she growled. Victoire raised her hands in mock surrender as she backed out of the room, her blonde hair dancing behind her.

After Dominique had lay there for a couple of minutes, she slowly dragged herself out of bed and walked over to the mirror, in front of which she pulled her strawberry-blonde hair into a messy bun before heading downstairs.

“Dominique, your letter eez on the table,� her mum said over her shoulder. Unlike Dominique, her hair was long, silvery-blonde, and had the ability to turn every man's attention to her the moment she walked into the room. Her mum often told her stories of when she'd used her Veela charms on men in the past to get them to do what she wanted them to do. The reason she fell in love with their Dad was because he wasn't affected by the charm and fell in love with her for who she was.

“That's what you should look for in a man, Dommi. Someone who doesn't care about your appearance. Someone who just loves you for you,� she had once told Dominique.

As she ripped open the envelope, she noticed it was slightly thicker than normal.

Dear Miss Weasley,

I am pleased to inform you that you have been selected as the fifth-year Slytherin Prefect. You are expected to check in at the prefect's compartment on the Hogwarts Express and await further instructions. This will give you the opportunity to meet your Head Boy and Head Girl, as well as your fellow Prefects. I hope that you will not abuse your position of authority and that you will do your best to help your fellow students.

Please find your badge enclosed.

Yours sincerely,

Pomona Sprout

Headmistress

“Oh no. Oh, Merlin, no. This can't be for me; they must have got it wrong,� she whispered to herself. How in Merlin's name had she been made a prefect? She, along with James, Fred and Molly, held the record for the most detentions earned in a week! Dominique groaned; they were never going to let her hear the end of this.

“Dominique, what's the matter?� Victoire asked, looking up from her own letter, a huge grin on her face.

Dominique simply held out the green and silver badge that had fallen out of the envelope, not trusting herself to speak.

“Oh Dominique, this eez fantastic, I must tell your grandmuzzer! And maybe now you will get your head down and stop getting so many detentions.� her mum said before hurrying out of the room.

Dominique scowled at her mum's last comment. Fleur had never approved of her behaviour at school. She'd sent a Howler when she found out that Dominique had received detention for the whole term when a firework display in the Great Hall got a bit out of control. It didn't matter that it was really difficult to pull it off and Professors Sprout, Greengrass and Longbottom had to stop themselves from laughing.

“Oh, Dommi, this is going to be great for you! I think a little responsibility is exactly what you need,� Victoire said, the stupid grin still on her face.

“That's a shame. Responsibility and I don't get on very well,� Dominique replied as she sat down.

Victoire laughed softly. “No, that's true. I heard all about what happened with the first year you were meant to help with potions.�

“In my defence, he was a very annoying Ravenclaw. Aren't you lot meant to know everything? Why did he need extra help anyway?�

“We're meant to be wise, that doesn't necessarily mean we're excellent at everything. And even if he is ridiculously annoying, did you really have to make him drink a potion that turned his hair green and skin orange?� Victoire replied, rolling her eyes.

“He brewed a successful potion, didn't he? Don't I get even the smallest bit of credit for that?� she asked with mock hopefulness.

“I suppose you do deserve something for that. But you didn't have to put up with him in the common room – he wouldn't stop moaning for the entire year!�

“He's lucky he isn't in Slytherin, then,� Dominique said with a grin. “What did your letter say, anyway? You looked very happy when you got it.�

“Oh, I'm the new Head Girl!� Victoire said, her face flushed and excited again.

“Oh, Tori, that's brilliant! Wow, Grandma's going to be so proud! And so's dad, he was Head Boy when he was at school!� Dominique exclaimed as she got up to hug her sister.

Even though she genuinely was happy for Victoire, Dominique couldn't help but feel annoyed. Everything Dominique did, she managed to over shadow it with a bigger achievement. When she got the highest score in her year in both potions and charms, Victoire got all O's in her OWL's; when she got onto the Slytherin Quidditch team, Victoire was the Duelling champion. Now she'd been made a Prefect – defying all the odds – and Victoire had been made Head Girl.

“Hey, it looks like I have the lucky job of trying to get you to stick to your duties as Prefect,� Victoire said, smiling at her.

“Looks like it. Hey, have you told maman yet?� Dominique asked, forcing herself to smile.

“No, not yet, I wanted to wait until dad got home from his trip so I could tell them together,� Victoire replied, her blue eyes sparkling.

“They're going to be so proud, Tori, everyone will be,� Dominique said softly.

“They're going to be proud of you, Dommi. You're a prefect, that's amazing!�

Dominique slowly sat back down at the table. “Yeah, I guess it is,� she said absent-mindedly.

“Dommi, what's wrong? Aren't you pleased?� Victoire asked, sounding concerned as she sat down next to her.

“I'm fine, Tori, why don't you just get back to celebrating?� Victoire looked hurt as she opened her mouth to say something but stopped as their mum came rushing into the room.

“Grandma Weasley eez so proud, Dominique! She's throwing a party this evening to celebrate, everyone's going to be there,� she said about twice the average person's rate of speech. “And Grandmere Delacour eez very pleased. She sends her love to all of you,� she finished, smiling at both of them.

Just then, there was a loud crack from outside just seconds before Louis came running down the stairs. “Dad!� he shouted as he ran out the door to greet him.

“Morning ladies,� their Dad said as he came into the kitchen.

“Bill, Dominique has something she would like to tell you.� her Maman said, giving their dad a kiss.

“Oh, Merlin, Dom, what have you done now?� Bill asked, turning to face his youngest daughter.

“Hey!� she cried in protest. “Just because I've normally done something, it doesn't mean you can jump to conclusions!�

“Okay, okay, I'm sorry, Dom. What did you want to tell me?�

“I, um, I – I was made prefect,� she said, struggling to get the words out.

“Congratulations, Dom. That's amazing news!� her dad said as he came over to give her a hug.

“I think Victoire has some bigger news,� Dominique said softly.

“Victoire?�

“I was going to wait until tonight to tell everyone together, but I might as well tell you now.� She paused for effect, before saying, “I've been made Head Girl!�

Dominique sighed as her mum let out an ear piercing cry and her parents rushed over to hug and congratulate her sister, her own success forgotten. What's the point in trying? Victoire's always going to do something better anyway, she thought as she walked out of them room, fighting back the tears that threatened to fall.

Dominique loved Shell Cottage; it was small, but she preferred it that way, and she could often be found sitting on the bluff, looking out to sea. She was happiest on the dark winter nights, when the wind howled outside and she was curled up on the sofa, talking to her parents about the past. Dominique often felt guilty about asking about the war as her mum got a teary look in her eyes and her dad's voice grew distant, the pain evident on both of their faces. However, they both assured her that they liked that she was curious, as it meant that the sacrifices people made during those times would be remembered.

It was Dominique's curiosity and lack of caution that made her so different from her sister. Victoire never dared to ask questions about the past, in the fear that she would upset her parents. She preferred to spend those stormy winter nights in her room, huddled under her duvet to block out the howl of the wind. “It reminds me of a werewolf's howl, I can't help but think there's one outside, just waiting to tear our family apart,� she had once admitted to Dominique several years ago.

Dominique smiled as she remembered the conversations she and her sister used to have. That had been before Victoire had gone to Hogwarts, before her parents were constantly told how perfect her sister is. The two sisters had still been close but Dominique would have to listen enviously to the stories of her sister's time at school and was always left wondering how she would ever live up to the standard set by Victoire. Their relationship had deteriorated rapidly since Dominique had started Hogwarts. From the moment she set foot in her first class of the year, the professors were already comparing her to her perfect older sister and that had created a rift between them.

Her thoughts were interrupted by her dad, who sat down next to her. “This is a good place to think, isn't it?� he asked with a wistful smile.

“Hmm, I guess it is,� Dominique replied absent-mindedly.

“You're like your mother: she always comes out here when she needs to think. During the war, she would sit out here for hours thinking about home, wondering if we would make it out of it alive.� Dominique was surprised when her dad had compared her to her mum; it was the first time anyone had said that to her.

“I didn't know that,� she said quietly.

“You're worried that you don't deserve this position,� her dad stated.

“I'm not worried, I know I don't deserve this,� Dominique replied, picking at the grass next to her.

“You clearly do deserve it. Professor Greengrass wouldn't have chosen you if you didn't.�

“I don't deserve this!� Dominique said heatedly. “Someone like Ash or Lulu deserves this! They work their arse off each and every day, and they earn us loads of house points, which Molly and I just go and lose again. Who in their right mind would make me a prefect?�

“They know what they're doing, Dominique. You should hear the way Professor Sprout and Minerva McGonagall go on about how you managed your Quidditch team when your captain was in the Hospital Wing. That alone shows that you have good leadership skills -- you even managed to get the seventh years to listen to you,� her dad said proudly.

Dominique sighed in exasperation. “That's different, it's Quidditch. I've proved myself to my team that I know what I'm talking about. I'm going to be such a hypocrite if I tell someone to stop mucking around, to not sneak out after curfew, to not use magic in the corridors because those are all things that I do on a daily basis, plus worse! I hold the record for the most detentions earned in a week for Merlin's sake!� she cried, putting her head in her hands.

“Then prove yourself to your schoolmates; they'll be sure to listen and respect you. If you show that you've changed, then maybe any other potential troublemakers who were thinking of copying you and your cousins will think again,� he said, and he put an arm around his daughter's shoulders.

But what if I don't want to change, Dominique thought to herself. She decided against saying this to her dad. He didn't understand and she didn't expect him to. When he was at school, he was the perfect student: first Prefect, then Head Boy, he'd achieved perfect results in both his O.W.Ls and his N.E.W.Ts; he was never the troublemaker. Sure her dad had a great sense of humour, but when it came to school he had a far more serious attitude about it than she did. He didn't understand how it felt to be given a position that wasn't deserved and know that the people who did deserve it really wanted it. He was the oldest child, he never had to try and differentiate himself from an older sibling like she did. Molly Weasley must always have been so proud of him and Dominique couldn't think of a single reason why her parents would be proud of he.

“If you say so, Dad,� Dominique sighed, staring out to sea.

Her dad got up with a sad smile on his face. “You need to have more faith in yourself, Dom. Now you'd better get ready soon. Your mother will not be impressed if you're late to your own party.�

As her dad walked back to the house, Dominique continued to sit there staring out at the impossibly blue sea, trying to imagine her best friends' reactions when they found out she had been made prefect. They would never let her live it down, and the amount of teasing and laughter she would have to face would be torture. She groaned as she slowly got to her feet and dragged herself back into the house. Her dad was right: her mother would hex her if she wasn't ready for her own party. Besides, it would be fun to see her family, even if they were sure to be unbearable about it.

She walked back into the small kitchen which was empty apart from Louis, who was sat at the wooden table reading his battered copy of Quidditch Through the Ages.“Where's Dad and Maman?� Dominique asked.

“They went to Diagon Alley,� he replied, not looking up from the page he was reading. Dominique smiled slightly. She was glad her younger brother had the same love as Quidditch as she did -- Victoire and their mum couldn't stand the game.

“Are you looking forward to the Tornadoes v Harpies match next week? It should be fun, we haven't done anything with just you and me for ages,� Dominique said, sitting opposite from him. She loved spending time alone with her brother, he was great for a laugh. Dominique was often amazed that her parents let her look after Louis on her own -- they barely trusted her to look after herself.

“Yeah, it's going to be great!� Louis exclaimed, a broad grin on his face. “Prepare to lose; you know the Tornadoes will thrash the Harpies!�

Dominique laughed. “Oh please, the Harpies will obviously beat them. In fact, I'm so sure that I'll bet five galleons on it,� she challenged.

“You're on!� Louis replied, before promptly spitting on his hand and holding it out over the table. Dominique mimicked the action, and they shook hands to seal the bet.

“All right, five galleons it is, just don't tell Maman. We're not supposed to be betting any more, not after the last incident,� Dominique reminded him.

“I can't believe I lost all of my pocket money to you. It took me ages to save that up!�Louis whined.

“It's your fault for raising the stakes. Besides, Maman made me pay all of it back; she didn't seem to care that I won it fair and square,� she pointed out and the two of them burst into laughter. Dominique was often amazed by how grown up he brother could seem at times, especially when he spent the rest of the day acting like a young child. In fact, Dominique realised, he only acted so grown up when he wasn't with their parents, grandparents, or Victoire.

“Oh good, you're back in,� Victoire said from the doorway. “Maman told me to tell you that you need to be ready to go to Grandma's in an hour, so I'd get a move on if I were you.� Dominique rolled her eyes at her sister's authoritative tone. She looked up to see that her sister had already changed into a pale blue dress and felt a stab of envy as she thought about how stunning her sister looked.

“All right, I'm going,� Dominique replied, and she made her way up to her room. She simply stared at the contents of her wardrobe, knowing she would never be able to look like her sister did. Victoire had the ability to turn heads as she walked into a room, and boys would gawk after her as she walked down the corridor. Dominique, on the other hand, only managed to turn heads because she and her friends were so troublesome and noisy that it was impossible not to notice them.

She scolded her self for her jealously After all, it was pointless to want to be someone you're not. Dominique decided she wasn't going to make a big deal of how she compared to her sister, so she settle on her green skinny jeans, a white tank top and a pair of pumps, opting to keep her hair in a messy bun.

She could hear movement from downstairs which could only mean that her parents were back. Sure enough, she had just reached her door when her mother called up the stairs asking her to come down. Dominique hurried down the stairs into the sitting room, where she jumped into one of the squishy arm chairs.

“Dominique, what 'ave I told you about jumping on ze furniture?� her mother scolded, frowning at her.

Dominique rolled her eyes again. “Sorry Maman,�

“We have a surprise for you two,� her dad said, and he held out identical small, pale blue bags to both of them. Dominique and Victoire exchanged a glance and reached out to accept the bags.

“It's a tradition in our family to receive a gift when being made prefect,� her dad explained. Dominique remembered how Victoire had been allowed to buy a new owl when she had been made prefect, and she looked inside of her bag. She pulled out a long rectangular box which she slowly opened and let out a gasp when she saw what was inside. It was the charm bracelet that she saw in the window of a little boutique every time she went to Diagon Alley, the one she had always secretly hoped she would get when she turned seventeen.

“Oh, it's beautiful,� she whispered, gently lifting it out of the box to get a closer look at the little charms. She smiled as she saw a silver broom, a little snake with green gems for eyes and a cauldron, each separated by either a green or silver bead.

“We hope you like the charms, and we thought you'd like the Slytherin colours,� her dad said, looking a little worried, as though scared that she wouldn't like it.

Dominique got up and flung her arms around her parents. “It's perfect,� she said, smiling.

“We are very glad that you like eet, Dominique,� her mother said, returning the hug.

Victoire let out a squeal when she opened her own present. In her hand she held a silver necklace with a jewelled butterfly on the end, and she instantly asked her dad to fasten it around her neck.

“Aren't you going to put your bracelet on, Dommi?� Louis asked, materialising at her side.

Dominique gave him a small smile. “Of course I am! Here, help me fasten it.�

Louis stuck his tongue out in concentration as he opened the delicate clasp and fastened it. “It looks beautiful on you, Dom,� he said smiling.

“Thank you, Louis,� she said, and ruffled his hair affectionately. “We better get over to the fireplace, they're ready to go.�

Dominique frowned; she had noticed that Victoire had paled as she reached for a handful of Floo powder. She knew the reason for her sister's hesitation: Teddy Lupin. The two had once been inseparable, you couldn't ever find one without the other. They had been best friends up until Victoire's fourth year, when she started looking at him differently, and everyone knew then that she liked him as more than just a friend. That was when everything started to change. Then, in her fifth year, Teddy started going out with a girl called Amelia, someone whom Victoire hated with a passion purely because the two were so alike – not that Victoire could see that of course. After that, Teddy and Victoire couldn't even stand to be in the same room, and now things were extremely awkward between the once close friends. Dominique had spent all of the last Christmas Holidays trying to get the two of them to kiss or at least talk while Amelia was at her parents' but it was no good. Their relationship seemed damaged beyond repair.

Dominique personally thought Victoire was being a bit over dramatic. It didn't make sense that she couldn't still be friends with Teddy, and her hatred of his girlfriend was ridiculous: Amelia was actually quite nice and she really did love Teddy, regardless of what Victoire said. Dominique sighed as she thought of how good Teddy and Amelia were together, and then of how perfect he would be with Victoire. It seems Teddy would be good with anyone but me, Dominique thought, to her surprise. Why should I be bothered if he would be good with anyone but me, I didn't like him like that... Do I? She was pulled abruptly out of her thoughts when her mother handed her the pot of Floo powder. Dominique grabbed some, stepped into the fire and squeezed her eyes shut as she went whizzing past various fireplaces.

“Hey look, guys, it's the new prefect! We better watch our behaviour -- we don't want to be put in detention, now do we?�

Dominique opened her eyes to see her best friend Molly grinning slyly at her from the scrubbed wooden table in the Burrow kitchen, where most of the family was assembled.

“Shut up,� Dominique replied, and stuck her tongue out. The nervousness she had been feeling was rapidly disappearing and she instantly felt at ease around her family. Their banter was cut short when her Grandma Molly pushed her way through and gave Dominique a tight hug.

“I'm so proud of you, Dominique. Being Prefect is a big deal; you're following in your father's footsteps and maybe, like your sister, you'll be Head Girl one day!� her grandma gushed. Dominique forced herself to smile and tried to ignore the fact that she was being compared to Victoire yet again, as her grandma looked so happy and proud.

“Mind if I steal my lovely niece for a little while?� George said from behind her. Her grandmother nodded and went back to laying the food out on the table, slapping away the various hands that had reached out to take some when she wasn't looking.

“How are you, Uncle George?� Dominique asked, turning to her uncle. She loved talking to George. The stories that he had told her about him and his twin, Uncle Fred, and their time at Hogwarts fascinated and inspired her.

“Congratulations on being made Prefect,� he started with a wicked grin and Dominique grimaced causing George to start laughing. “Your dad said you weren't too happy with your new position.�

“I don't deserve it! Seriously, I'm a nightmare at school, they can't honestly think that making me a Prefect is going to change that!� Dominique vented.

“Well, there's no denying that. You're mother still blames me for all the trouble you cause, she seems to think it's because of the stories I told you,� George said, laughing.

“She hates the way I turned out. It's not your fault though, Uncle George, although I'm pretty sure Aunt Audrey blames you for Molly, as well. We just don't want to always be associated with the perfectness that is our family; we want to stand out and to be different! I don't care how much she hates it, I'm not changing for anyone. I'm happy being me and if I behave, I miss out on the fun of causing mayhem at school!� Dominique declared with a grin and George laughed.

“That's the niece I know and love. Now, speaking of mayhem, have I ever told you the story of how Fred and I left school?� Dominique shook her head and her Uncle launched into the story which left Dominique open-mouthed and fascinated.

“That sounds incredible, I wish I could have seen it!� Dominique exclaimed.

“George, I hope you're not filling my daughter's head with ideas, she has responsibilities now,� her dad said, laughing.

“Yes, because you were such an angel at Hogwarts, even when you were Head Boy,� George replied jokingly. Her dad started to protest, so Dominique left them to it and she went to look for Molly who had disappeared from the kitchen. As she walked out of the room, she bumped straight into Teddy.

“Oh, Dom, I was just looking for you. Can I talk to you for a minute? I need some advice,� Teddy asked, smiling down at her.

“Yeah, sure,� she replied, and started to make her way into the living room.

Teddy caught her arm. “Actually, this is more of an outside talk, away from the rest of the family for a bit,� he said, with a nervous laugh.

“Right, into the garden we go, then,� Dominique said, trying to ignore the butterflies in her stomach. She scolded herself for being stupid: she couldn't possibly like Teddy in that was -- she was trying to set him up with Victoire.

“I'm thinking of proposing to Amelia,� he blurted out once they had walked a fair way from the house.

“You're going to ask her to marry you?� Dominique asked in shock.

“That's generally what proposing means,� he replied jokingly. Dominique glared at him and then they both burst into laughter.

“Yeah, I know what a proposal is, I just can't believe you're ready to get married. What about Victoire?�

Teddy paused and ran his fingers through his hair. “I don't know what's happening with her. We haven't spoken properly since I started going out with Amelia. I don't get why she can't be happy for me; I love Amelia and she loves me,� Teddy said softly, looking out into the distance.

Dominique sighed. “You know why she's being like this, Teddy. She loves you and she's being too selfish and feeling too sorry for herself to accept that you don't feel the same way.�

“What if I do feel the same way?� Teddy muttered.

Dominique stared at him for a while. “You love Victoire? Then why are you still with Amelia and why are you considering marrying her?� she pressed, confused.

“Because it's not as simple as that. I love Victoire, but I also love Amelia, and Victoire is like a younger sister to me and the rest of the family are hardly likely to approve if we end up together,� Teddy said flatly.

“They want you to be happy and if Victoire makes you happy, what is there to not approve of? You have to think of it this way, Teddy: Would you be happier with Victoire or would you be happier marrying Amelia?�

Teddy was silent for a long time. “I'm going to ask her to marry me. Amelia and I are happy together. I want to settle down and I want to marry her,� he said finally, his eyes shining.

“Are you sure you're ready to settle down? You are only nineteen after all,� Dominique said. Personally she couldn't understand how someone only four years older than she was was ready to get married. He still had his whole life ahead of him, but, if it was what he wanted, who was she to stop him?

“I want to be with Amelia, I'm sure I'm ready,� he said certainly, his eyes gleaming.

“Then I'm happy for you!� Dominique squealed and Teddy wrapped his arms around her.

“You don't mind my asking her tonight, do you? I know this is meant to be a party to celebrate the miracle that is you being made Prefect but...� He trailed off and looked at her hopefully. He looked so happy and anxious that Dominique laughed again.

“Of course I don't mind, now go on and ask her!� Dominique grinned as Teddy made his way back towards the house. “Wait!� she called, suddenly remembering something. “I want to see the ring!�

It was Teddy's turn to laugh as he reached into his pocket and pulled out an old box. Inside was a simple silver band with a small diamond in the middle. “It was the ring my dad gave my mum,� he explained. “I wish they were here to see this.�

Dominique hugged him again, hating the pain and sadness in his voice. “I'm sure they wish they were here too, but they would be so proud of you,� she murmured.

“Right,� Teddy said after a while. “I'd better go and find Amelia.�

Dominique watched him walk away with a smile. She couldn't believe he was going to propose to Amelia. She still remembered the clumsy boy he had been when they were kids; now he seemed strangely grown up. Her smile slipped slightly as she thought about what Victoire's reaction was going to be, but the image was soon replaced by one of Teddy's smile when he had said he was going to propose.

Deciding to resume her search for Molly, Dominique slowly made her way back into the house. She finally found Molly back in the kitchen with their Uncle Charlie, listening to a story about his work in Romania. Molly looked fascinated as Charlie pointed to one of the many burns on his arm with a gleam in her eye that made Dominique groan. It was the same gleam that Molly had had when she decided she was going to join the Quidditch team last year, and Dominique knew that Molly had set her sights on following in their Uncle's footsteps and working with dragons, yet another thing that her mother would not approve of -- not that that would stop Molly from doing it.

She was just making her way over to where the two were talking when she was suddenly ambushed by her younger cousin, Lily.

“Look, Dommi, I made this cake!� Lily said excitedly, holding up the cake proudly.

Dominique smiled and took the cake from her, pretending to do a thorough examination of it. “Well, everything looks good, but I reckon I'll have to taste it to be sure,� she said with a grin.

“It's chocolate! I used green icing because you're in Slytherin; I thought you'd like it,� Lily said, before launching into an explanation of exactly how she had made it. She was just getting onto explaining how she had made the icing when Teddy asked everyone into the living room.

“Everybody, I have something I want to tell you,� he said slightly nervously when everyone had crowded into the room. “Amelia and I are engaged!�

The reaction was immediate as everyone hurried over to congratulate the happy couple. Dominique looked over at Teddy and grinned, before he pushed his way through the crowd to give her a tight hug.

“I knew she'd say yes, Teddy! I'm so happy for you!� Dominique cried.

“Thank you, I'm happy too!� Teddy laughed. “Well, I'd better get back to my fiancée. Thank you for talking to me earlier; it means a lot to me knowing that you're there when I need you. You know that I'm always here for you, right?�

Dominique nodded and gave him one last hug before he went back to where Amelia, who was surrounded by the Weasley family. She looked around to see where Molly was, hoping to finally have a chance to talk to her, but she got distracted by Victoire who was stood frozen in the doorframe, tears running down her chalk white face. She noticed Dominique looking at her, and without a word, Victoire turned on her heel and ran out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

Dominique woke with a start. She couldn't work out why she had woken so suddenly until she looked over to her window and saw the silhouette of a person sitting on the sofa in front of it, staring out to sea.

“Tori?� Dominique asked groggily as she reached for the lamp switch.

“Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you. I just needed company, I guess,� Victoire replied softly.

“It's fine,� Dominique replied. “I'm guessing you're in here because you're not handling the news so well.�

Victoire shook her head slowly. “I just can't believe he asked her to marry him! It's so obvious that she doesn't actually love him, she's just using him, and he's so wrapped around her finger that he doesn't even notice!� she ranted.

Dominique sighed. “You know she loves him, Tori, that's why you want to hate her. You're just telling yourself she doesn't to make her seem like some sort of monster so that your hatred is justified in your eyes. Amelia's not a bad person, just give her a chance.�

“Oh fine, take her side!� Victoire cried angrily. “I can't believe that bitch has turned my own sister against me!�

“Stop being such a drama queen!� Dominique snapped. “No one's turned anyone against you; it's just that this insane image of Amelia you've got in your head is completely unreasonable.�

Victoire had just opened her mouth to retaliate when their dad burst into the room. “What's all the yelling for?� he asked, looking between his two daughters.

“Nothing, Papa, we're sorry to have woken you,� Victoire said, before storming out of the room, shooting one last dirty look at Dominique as she did so.

“Would you like to explain what the fight was about, Dominique?� her dad asked, and Dominique was surprised at the quiet anger in his voice -- her dad was rarely angry at them.

Dominique hesitated slightly before she answered. “Victoire's just upset about something, and she can't accept that it's going to happen whether she likes it or not and that she's being completely unreasonable.�

“I'm assuming this is about Teddy getting engaged,� her dad said, sitting down on her bed, and Dominique nodded slowly.

“She's convinced herself that Amelia is some sort of monster and when I tried to make her see that she's wrong about her, she completely flipped!� Dominique explained irritably.

“This is an area your mother would be of more use in,� he said with a frown. He was quiet for a while, deep in thought, before he continued. “I'll talk to your mum to see what she thinks, and perhaps she'll talk to Victoire herself. In the meantime, however, I suggest avoiding the topic altogether when you're around her.�

With a small smile, Dominique nodded in agreement. After a few moments, her dad got up and walked out of the room, shutting the door quietly behind him. Dominique lay there for a while, thinking, before she rolled over and tried to get back to sleep.

---

Avoiding the topic of Teddy's engagement proved to be more difficult than previously thought. Having given up on the hope of getting a few more hour's sleep, Dominique stumbled into the kitchen with a desperate plea of “coffee� and was surprised to be greeted by the sight of her mother and Amelia sat at the kitchen table, deep in discussion.

“It's so difficult finding a colour that doesn't clash with red hair but I was thinking the bridesmaids could be dressed in green,� Amelia was saying. They both looked up when they heard Dominique enter the room and Amelia smiled at her.

“You've already started planning?� Dominique said in disbelief, returning the smile as she poured herself a cup of coffee.

“I like to be prepared,� Amelia replied, laughing. Her face suddenly became serious. “Dominique, I would love it if you would be my bridesmaid. You don't have to say yes now, and I won't be offended if you say no -- especially if you feel Victoire would be upset by it. I know she isn't exactly thrilled about this...� Amelia trailed off, looking uncomfortable.

“I'd love to be your bridesmaid!� Dominique exclaimed, a broad grin on her face.

“Oh, Dominique, that's great! Thank you!� Amelia squealed and launched into a description of the style of dress she hoped to have the bridesmaids in.

“As I was saying to Fleur when you came in, I want all the bridesmaids in green and I was thinking of having knee-length dresses,� she explained.

“Molly will be 'ere in a little while, we can go over ze designs then. I know she would like to 'ave her say,� Fleur said, scowling slightly as she remembered the planning of her own wedding.

“Okay, then. As for the other bridesmaids, I was thinking of asking Percy's daughter, Molly, and then Lily as well. I would like to have an even number, and I was thinking of asking Victoire, but I'm not sure if she would be willing,� Amelia said, sounding a little disappointed.

“You're right, I wouldn't be,� Victoire said in an icy voice as she entered the room, glaring at Amelia. Both Amelia and Fleur tensed as Victoire set about making herself breakfast.

“Look, Victoire, I know you're not happy about this but I know Teddy --� Amelia started.

“Don't you dare bring Teddy into this!� Victoire hissed. She looked on the verge of saying something else, but, after casting a cautious eye at her mother, she turned on her heel and stormed out of the room.

“I better talk to 'er,� Fleur said apologetically.

“I'm sorry my sister's being such a bitch. She's not used to not getting her own way,� Dominique muttered darkly, glaring at the doorway Victoire had just stormed out of.

“It's not your fault. Teddy's going to be disappointed though. I told him I'd try to speak to her and try to get her to agree to us at least being civil to one another, but I don't think that'll be happening any time soon,� Amelia said sadly.

Dominique gave her a small smile before taking a sip of her now cold coffee. She shuddered as she swallowed the bitter liquid. “I always forget just how much I hate this stuff,� she said sheepishly.

“You're really not a morning person, are you?� Amelia asked with a small laugh.

“Not in the slightest,� Dominique replied. “So who are you going to get to be your fourth bridesmaid now?�

Amelia frowned in thought, twirling a lock of her dark hair around her finger. “I don't know. I guess I'll just have you guys. Do you think Molly would be willing to be a bridesmaid?� she asked, suddenly looking worried.

“I'm sure she'll be more than happy,� Dominique reassured her. Amelia had been the Slytherin Prefect when Dominique and Molly had first started Hogwarts, and both had a great deal of respect for the older girl who had always made the effort to make sure every Slytherin felt like part of the house.

“That's great!� Amelia cried, a huge grin on her face. It faded slightly after a few moments. “I just wish my parents were here to see all of this,� she whispered sadly.

Dominique shifted uncomfortably in her seat when she saw that Amelia's eyes were brimming with tears. Unsure of what she could say, she simply went over and wrapped her arms around the old girl.

“Thanks, Dommi,� Amelia whispered, wiping the tears away with the back of her hand. Dominique handed her a box of tissues before she went back to her chair.

A few minutes later, Fleur came back into the room, and she and Amelia were soon deep in discussion. Dominique stayed for a while, flicking through the stack of Muggle bridal magazines that Amelia had brought with her, but after a while she got bored and went to find something else to do. It was a lovely warm summer morning and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. Perfect flying conditions, she thought with a grin, before sprinting up the stairs to her room to get her broomstick.

Dominique was unable to keep the wide smile off her face as she soared high above the ground. She was thankful for the built-in Muggle-repelling charm her broom came with, as it meant she was free to fly wherever she wanted and she began practising complicated manoeuvres on her broom as she imagined opposing Chasers and Bludgers coming towards her.

When she eventually went back inside, she found Grandma Molly had arrived and the three women had moved into the living room, magazines, dress designs, and long lists of ideas filling the small area. Dominique rolled her eyes and tried to navigate her way across the room, doing her best not to disturb the paper as she went to get a book off the shelf.

“Dominique, Molly Flooed to ask if you wanted to go and get your stuff togezzer today,� her mother said from the floor, barely glancing up from the magazine she was flicking through. “She said to meet 'er in ze Leaky Cauldron at eleven.�

Dominique grinned, pleased to finally have a chance to catch up with Molly. The two were inseparable at school, but they rarely had the chance to properly hang out during the holidays and Dominique missed the ridiculous conversations she had with her best friend when she was at home. Looking up and the clock that sat on the mantelpiece, Dominique discovered it was already quarter to eleven, so she hurried to get her school list from the kitchen, where she found Victoire storming around, slamming the cupboard door's as hard as she could every time she got something out of them.

“Do you really have to be so loud?� Dominique asked irritably. As bad as she felt for her sister, she hated how Victoire was acting about it all.

“Do you really have to make me look at your ugly face?� Victoire retorted.

Dominique glared at her and bit back another comment. She wouldn't admit that the comment had hurt her, so instead she grabbed her school list from where it sat in the centre of the table along with her Prefect badge, and Flooed to the Leaky Cauldron, where Molly was waiting for her.

“Dominique!� Molly called over from a table in the corner, where she was sitting with her father and younger sister, Lucy. Dominique made her way over to the table and greeted her uncle and cousins.

“Good morning, Dominique,� Percy said with a smile. He turned to his eldest daughter. “Now, Molly, here's your list, make sure you get everything. I've given you some extra money so you can get lunch. You are not to spend all of your money on unnecessary items, and that includes anything from your uncle's shop,� he said sternly.

Molly rolled her eyes as she accepted her school list and the money her father was handing her. Little did he know, George gave Dominique and Molly anything they wanted for free as long as they promised to never stop causing as much mayhem as possible.

“Have a nice time, girls. Come on, Lucy, we better get your stuff,� Uncle Percy said cheerily.

“So, where do you want to go first?� Molly said, grinning at Dominique.

---

A short while later, the two girls were browsing through the various brightly coloured shelves in Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes.

“We have to do something big this year, you know, since it's OWL year and everything. We have to have some way to blow off some steam,� Molly was saying.

“Ohh, the dreaded OWL year. I remember when I had to sit them; three people had a breakdown in the first month of term alone,� a voice said from behind them. The two girls turned around to see the grinning face of Lillian Wood, a seventh year Ravenclaw and one of Victoire's best friends.

“OWLs can't be that bad, surely,� Molly said, trying her best not to sound anxious.

“They're not quite as bad as the teachers make out, but be prepared for a hell of a lot of homework -- you've seen what fifth years look like; they rarely see the outside world as they're always up to their necks in homework. One word of advice, though: don't go in the library. It's impossible to work when you've got Madam Pince breathing down your neck to make sure your not damaging her precious books.�

“I wouldn't be able to go in there even if I wanted to. I've been banned for life ever since I set off that firework display and charmed the books to fly around,� Dominique muttered, trying to conceal a grin.

Molly and Lillian laughed at the memory. “Her face was priceless. I thought she was going to explode or something!� Lillian exclaimed.

“I thought you Ravenclaws were meant to love hanging out in the library -- isn't Pince your best friend?� a teasing voice said from behind them.

“Aren't you Slytherins meant to be dark wizards?� Lillian retorted. Although her tone was light, the three Slytherins around her winced slightly. Lillian blushed bright red, looking horrified. “Sorry, I wasn't thinking.�

“It's fine,� Dominique muttered quickly. “So, urm, hey, Adam,� she said, changing the subject.

Adam turned away from his sister and flashed a dazzling smile at Dominique. “Hey, Dom. How's my favourite Chaser?�

“Your favourite Chaser, am I? I'm the only one left!�

“Well, make the most of it while you can, then, I'm holding try-outs as soon as possible. We'll have four newbies we need to train up; there's no way I'm losing the cup this year! Gryffindor have a strong team, it'll be the same as last year, I believe, and then-�

“As cute as your passion for Quidditch is, we have to go, Adam,� Lillian interrupted him. Adam gave them a cheery wave and promised Dominique he would write to her about some possible techniques they could use, before his sister dragged him away.

“Is she always like that towards him?� Molly asked curiously, watching them leave.

“You know what she's like when it comes to Quidditch. She's still bitter that she can't play anymore,� Dominique replied. Lillian had once been the Ravenclaw Seeker until she'd had a terrible accident in her third year that had left her unable to play.

“Yeah, but still...�

After stocking up on everything they could possibly use over the next school year -- including several new products that their Uncle was relying on them to make popular -- they continued with the rest of their shopping. A few hours later, they found themselves sitting outside Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, eating large chocolate fudge brownie sundaes and discussing the upcoming year.

“So how do you feel about being made prefect?� Molly asked with a mixture of sympathy and curiosity.

“Let's not even go there,� Dominique muttered, not taking her eyes off her ice-cream.

“It won't be that bad,� Molly said in what was meant to be a reassuring voice. When Dominique looked up, she saw her best friend had a slightly strained expression on her face.

“What's up?�

Molly paused before answering, “Nothing, it's fine. Don't worry about it.�

Dominique felt a wave of concern rush over her. “I'm guessing your mum's not too pleased that you didn't get the position.� She was thinking of a conversation she had overheard when she had been round Molly's house.

Dominique stood awkwardly in the living room of her best friend's house, trying her best not to eavesdrop on the conversation between Molly and her mother, Audrey.

“Molly, you're starting to get into some important years at school. We were lenient with you while you were in you first few years to ensure you had fully settled in, but you are going into your fourth year now. In a year's time, you'll be finding out who the prefects are. You need to get your head down this year; it's your last chance to make a good impression!�

“Mum, I'm not bothered about being prefect,� Molly said quietly.

“Don't be silly -- of course you want to be prefect! Statistics show that the majority of people who work in the Ministry were prefects while they were in school. You have to start thinking about your future, Molly. The decisions you make now could cost you a career in the Ministry if you don't stop messing around all the time!� Audrey's voice was getting slightly impatient now, but Dominique could detect a hint of pleading in her aunt's tone.

“I've already told you, I don't know what I want to do in the future. Just because you and dad worked in the ministry, it doesn't mean that I want to. For all you know, I could want to be a reporter for The Daily Prophet or be like Dominique and want to be a professional Quidditch player or --�

“Molly, I will not have you wasting your life playing that ridiculous sport! You will work hard this year; I do not want any letters from Professor Greengrass informing me that you have got another month's worth of detention for misbehaving and that you are still failing Transfiguration!�

“But -�

“Molly,� her mother warned.

“But -- I -- Fine. I won't waste my time this year.�

“Good. Now you better hurry along, Dominique's waiting in the other room for you.�

“Yeah, well, you know what she's like,� Molly muttered, dragging Dominique out of her thoughts.

“What about your dad?�

Molly shrugged. “Well, he was prefect and Head Boy when he was at school, so I think he assumed that I would just follow in his footsteps, but he's not making quite as big a deal out of it as mum is,� she said flatly.

Dominique was silent, unsure of what she could say to cheer her friend up. She knew it was stupid, but she felt as though she were to blame for Molly's predicament.

“So how's Victoire handling the engagement of the happy couple?� Molly asked, steering the conversation firmly away from the topic of prefect positions.

“By behaving like a little brat who hasn't got her own way,� Dominique replied bluntly.

“That bad?�

“Yeah. And it doesn't help that maman is helping Amelia plan it all. You know they've been close ever since Amelia started working at Maman's boutique. They've been planning since the early hours of this morning, god knows why -- they haven't even been engaged for a day yet.� Dominique was quiet for a minute, before she remembered something. “Oh, Amelia was wondering if you would be a bridesmaid.�

Molly grinned. “Anything for our big sister!�

---

The next few weeks passed peacefully in the Delacour-Weasley household. Victoire had taken to sulking quietly in her room, while Fleur was often out, either at the Burrow or Amelia's flat, pouring over wedding ideas. It was just as well they had started planning early as Teddy had announced that he wanted a winter wedding, and so their special day was to take place during the Christmas holidays in order to allow for the younger family members to be able to attend.

Dominique made use of the quiet by trying out a variety of different recipes from an old book she had found while looking for Victoire's old fairytale book. The book was ancient, having been in the family for centuries, passed down from mother to daughter. It was entirely in French, but it was beautifully decorated, with all of the pictures being painted in watercolour. Dominique could see why Victoire loved the book so much as she flicked through each of the delicate pages. As little as she liked her sister's attitude, she didn't like it when Victoire was upset, and she hoped that the book would cheer her up. She decided, however, to wait until after Teddy's engagement party as her sister was sure to get upset again, and Dominique had no other ideas of how to cheer her up.

“What are you making, Dommi?� Dominique turned around in surprise. Victoire was standing behind her with a small smile on her face. She was paler than normal and her eyes were red and puffy, but Dominique was glad to see she had actually left her room.

“A tarte aux framboises,� she replied. Dominique grinned at her sister's raised eyebrows and amused expression. “It sounds cooler when you say it in French.�

“Of course,� Victoire said, laughing, as she reached for Dominique's tub of fruit.

“Hey! Leave the raspberries alone!� she exclaimed, slapping Victoire's hand away.

“Custard's nice,� Victoire commented, licking a bit off her finger.

“Out of the kitchen,� Dominique demanded, pointing to the door. “Honestly, you're worse than Louis!�

“I am not!�

“Yes, you are. Leave it alone or you're not getting a piece.�

“Meanie!� Victoire pouted.

“I know,� Dominique said smugly.

“So what's it for?� Victoire asked.

Dominique hesitated before answering. “It's for the party.�

“Oh, I'd forgotten that was tonight. I should probably get ready, Maman will be back soon,� Victoire said, doing her best to sound calm. Dominique opened her mouth to say something, but Victoire had already left.

With a sigh, Dominique finished placing the fruit on the tarte before casting a spell to keep it cool.

“Dommi?�

For the second time, Dominique spun round in surprise.

“Teddy?� she asked, wondering where the voice had come from.

“Fireplace, genius,� Teddy said, rolling his eyes.

“What's wrong?� Dominique asked, kneeling down in front of the fireplace so she was level with Teddy's face.

“Can you talk to Victoire for me? Can you make sure she comes tonight? I need to speak to her,� Teddy said, looking slightly distressed.

“Of course I'll talk to her, but I'm not sure what good it'll do. She hasn't properly spoken to any of us since you got engaged.�

“That's why I need to talk to her. I hate it when she's upset, and Amelia's upset because she wants to be friends with Victoire and she wants Victoire to be a bridesmaid, and I want Tori at the wedding and... I just don't want to lose her. I should have spoken to her when I first started going out with Amelia, I should have spoken to her before I announced the engagement to the entire family, and - -�

“Woah, Teddy, breathe. It's okay, I'll make sure she's there, and I'm sure you two can work things out,� Dominique said, trying to calm him down.

Teddy gave her a small grin. “Thank you, Dommi. What would I do without you?�

“You wouldn't,� Dominique replied with a grin.

“You're probably right. I have to go, see you later. Just make sure she's there!�

---

“Vic? Maman asks if you're ready yet, we have to leave in a little while,� Dominique said, poking her head around the door. She wasn't altogether surprised to see Victoire sat on her bed, still in her pyjamas, looking out of the window. “You're not even dressed yet?�

“No, and I'm not going.� Victoire said calmly, continuing to stare out of the window.

“Oh, stop acting like a spoilt brat!� Dominique burst out angrily. She swore to herself when the words left her mouth. Calling her sister a spoilt brat wasn't likely to help matters, but seeing Teddy get in such a state earlier had made Dominique angry at her sister's behaviour once again.

“Excuse me? I'm acting like a spoilt brat? Why should I have to suffer by going to the engagement party of the boy I love?�

“You know what, I'm beginning to wonder if you really do love him.� Shit, I really need to learn to think before I open my mouth.

“And what exactly do you mean by that?� Victoire said, her voice dangerously quiet. Dominique simply folded her arms and looked at her sister, remembering how she used to be terrified when Victoire used that voice.

“I mean, if you truly loved him you would be happy for him despite how much it hurt you. Instead I think you're just jealous.�

“But I do love him, Dommi, too much. Amelia's manipulated this entire thing, you don't understand!� Victoire burried her head in her hands and Dominique walked over to the bed to give her sister a hug.

Dominique suppressed a sigh when she mentioned Amelia. She figured Victoire was more likely to go if they didn't have another argument, so she decided to just agree. “You need to talk to him, Tori. You need to tell him exactly what you just told me because right now he's hurt and confused as to why you won't talk to him.�

Victoire lifted her head in surprise. “All right then,� she said after thinking for a minute, “I'll go, but I'm not promising that I'll talk to him.�

“That's all I can ask for,� Dominique said as she walked out of the room. “But you will,� she whispered with a grin once the door had shut.

It had been a few days since the engagement party and a wave of hostility had washed over Shell Cottage. Victoire had once again retreated to her room, glaring at anyone who came near her and being particularly cold towards her younger sister, while their parents spent most of their time out of the house either at work or, in Fleur’s case, at Amelia’s to continue with the wedding planning.

Dominique decided that it would probably be safer to avoid contact with her sister for a few days to give her a chance to calm down, so she spent her days either baking, practicing Quidditch or with Louis.

“Dommi…?� Louis asked as he came into the garden where Dominique was reading.

“Yes, Louis?� she replied.

“Could you make me some chocolate brownies?� he asked, doing his best puppy-dog eyes.

“I made you cupcakes yesterday, what happened to them?� Dominique asked, eyebrows raised.

“They’re err… all gone,� he replied.

“There were twelve of them.�

“So?�

“So, how have you eaten them all already?� she asked in amazement.

“Well you had one and so did Maman and Dad,� Louis pointed out.

“Which leaves nine,� Dominique countered.

“I was hungry and they tasted nice,� Louis said, shrugging his shoulders. “Please make me some brownies. Pretty please!�

“Ugh, fine. But you better not eat them all in one day. I’m not making you anything tomorrow,� she warned.

He gave her a quick hug before running out the room while exclaiming, “Thanks, Dommi! You’re the best!�

“Yeah, he really needs the sugar from these,� Dominique muttered to herself, but she smiled as she pulled her hair up into a bun and found a recipe in her book, turning the delicate pages as carefully as she could before getting started.
“Are they done yet?� Louis asked impatiently after a while, just as she was getting them out of the oven.

“Almost, they just need to cool now. Get out of the kitchen so you’re not tempted to eat them,� Dominique ordered.

For once Louis actually did what he was told and Dominique started to clear up the kitchen. Why is it the kitchen always manages to stay immaculate while Maman cooks but when I cook it looks like a potion has exploded in it? she thought to herself with a sigh. As she was looking around to check that everything was tidy she caught sight of an old book resting on a shelf. She grinned when she remembered that it was the old fairytale book that she had found for Victoire to try to cheer her up. Maybe this will get her out of her bad mood, at least for a little while…

After telling a very excited Louis that he was now free to eat as long as he promised to save some for everyone else, she hurried upstairs to speak to Victoire.

“Vic?� Dominique called as she knocked on her sister’s bedroom door.

“Go away!� Victoire replied irritably.

“Vic, just open the door! I need to talk to you!� she called, hugging the book of fairytales to her chest.

“I don’t want to talk to you!�

“You know, you could at least tell me what I’ve done wrong!� Dominique cried, frustrated at her sister’s childish behaviour.

Dominique felt a glimmer of hope as Victoire opened her door slightly. “You know exactly what you’ve done,� she hissed. Dominique was shocked at the anger and hurt in her sister’s eyes; she didn’t understand what she had done to make Victoire feel like this.

“Victoire, I honestly don’t. Just tell me what it is and I’ll put it right, but I can’t do that unless you tell me!�

“Oh stop acting like you’re so innocent!� Victoire snapped, before slamming her door shut.

“Alright, fine. If you’re going to act like such a child I’m not even going to bother anymore. You’re supposed to be the older one of the two of us. Grow up, Tori,� Dominique snapped back. She had had enough of her sister’s behaviour over the last few weeks and this was the final straw. If Victoire couldn’t be bothered to tell her what she had done wrong, Dominique couldn’t be bothered to try and fix it.

---

The morning of 1st September came around all too quickly for Dominique's liking. While she always loved her time at school, this year the excitement was tinged with dread as she thought about her OWLs and her new responsibilities. Normally by now her head would be filled with ideas for their new tricks, but she had done her best to squeeze out any ideas she had, determined to prove that she deserved position she had been given.

“Have you got everything ready, Dommi?� her mum asked from the kitchen. Dominique nodded as she poured herself a glass of orange juice and sat down opposite a dejected Louis.

“We'll be back before you know it, Louis,� Dominique said with a small smile. She knew her brother got lonely when she and Victoire went back to school as their parents were often at work and he had a hard time fitting in with his loud cousins when he stayed at the Burrow. “Besides, it's only one more year until you come with us,� she added.

Louis forced a smile as he looked at his older sister. “Yeah, only one more year. I hope you have a great time, Dommi.�

Dominique got up from her seat and walked round to give Louis a hug. “Louis, you know I'll write to you every week and I'll be home for Christmas. We'll be back before you know it,� she murmured.

“Dom, are you ready to go? Percy will be here soon,� Bill said as he walked into the kitchen.

“Yeah, I'm ready. My trunk's in the hallway,� she replied.

“Dommi, you ‘aven't eaten yet. Come and get some food, you are not leaving before you eat,� Fleur said with a frown.

“Maman, I'm hardly going to miss out on eating your pancakes before I go,� Dominique said, reassuringly. Her mother was always like this if it looked like one of them was going to miss a meal, although quite why she was so paranoid about it Dominique wasn't sure.

Before long, Percy, Molly and Lucy arrived and it was time to leave. “'Ave a good time, girls. Don't forget to write,� Fleur said, giving each of them a hug.

“I won't forget, Maman,� Victoire reassured her. With a final hug, she said goodbye to Bill and Louis before brushing past Dominique without even looking at her. Dominique rolled her eyes.

“What's her problem?� Molly whispered in Dominique's ear, noticing Victoire's icy behaviour.

“Merlin knows. Knowing her, she probably blames me for Teddy not suddenly turning around and declaring his love for her,� Dominique muttered dryly. Molly opened her mouth to say more but at that point Bill appeared behind them to say goodbye to Dominique.

“Have a great term, Dominique. Don't forget you need to go to your Prefect meeting when you first get on the train,� he added, knowing that Dominique had probably deliberately erased it from her memory.

Forcing a smile, Dominique replied, “Of course, Dad. How could I possibly forget?� She had tried to make her voice sound light and cheery, but it didn’t come out that way. Bill placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

“Dom, it's going to be fine. You deserve this, and don't try to make out that you don't. Your mother and I are so proud of you for getting this position, don't let your behaviour and attitude get in the way of that,� he urged.

“I won't,� Dominique sighed as she gave him a hug. She turned to see Molly waiting for her by the door and said a final rushed goodbye before getting into the car.

“Goodbye, girls,� Bill called. “Be good!� he added with a pointed look at Dominique and Molly.

“Why do they always assume that we're going to be the ones causing trouble?� Molly whispered, frowning. Dominique just looked at her like she was mad.

“Why do you think?� she replied. “We hold the record for the most detentions earned in a week; you cannot seriously think we're an example of good behaviour.�

“Well, I know we joke around a lot, but we aren't always that bad. We’re quite responsible towards our own house, we always help lead the meetings. Adam's insisted that you're co-captain of the team and now you're a Prefect. We can't be that bad,� Molly persisted.

“Molly, you pride yourself on being one of the most misbehaved students in the school, why are you trying to deny it now?� Dominique asked, confused about her cousin's sudden change of heart.

“Nothing, I'm just saying,� Molly mumbled, casting a wary look at Lucy and Percy in the front of the car.

“Sure...� Dominique made a mental note to quiz her on the reason later when they were away from the prying eyes of their family members.

“So how've your holidays been, Victoire?� Molly asked, turning to the other girl in the backseat with them. Victoire had been deliberately ignoring them the entire journey, with the exception of a few dirty looks at Dominique.

“They’ve been fine. I’m glad we’re going back to school though so I can get away from some people,� she replied coldly.

Dominique rolled her eyes at her sister’s last remark and returned the glare that had been thrown her way. “Can you get me some stuff from the trolley when it comes round, please,� Dominique asked Molly, turning the conversation away from her sister. “I remember Amelia saying how the meetings always go on forever so I probably won’t be back in time to get some myself.�

“Sure. I guess I’ll have to sit with Adam while I wait for you,� Molly replied. Dominique thought she had seen a look of excitement flash across Molly’s face as she said it, but a moment later it was gone so she brushed it aside.

When they finally arrived at the station, Dominique felt the knot of nerves in her stomach tighten. She hadn’t felt this nervous since her first journey to Hogwarts and she wasn’t overly fond of the feeling. She knew it was stupid to feel this nervous - after all, most people would be proud and excited to get this position - but Dominique just could not shake the feeling that she wasn’t go to belong in that compartment. They made their way through the station, Victoire’s and Molly’s owls earning several bemused looks from the muggle passengers, and passed unnoticed through the barrier onto the platform where they were greeted by a great scarlet steam train.

“Dom!� a voice called as they approached the train.

“Hey, Adam,� Dominique called back with a grin.

“Have you heard who else got Prefect from our house?� Adam asked once they had reached him.

“Who?� Dominique asked cautiously, not sure if she liked the grin on Adam’s face. “If you tell me it’s Damian I think I might scream,� she added darkly. Damian was quite possibly Dominique’s least favourite person on earth due to his arrogance and cruel nature and the thought of having to work with him for the next year was unbearable.

Adam laughed. “Do you really think Greengrass would give it to him?�

Dominique joined in with the laughter. “Well she gave it to me so I guess anything is possible. Who is it then?�

“Well let’s see. He’s tall, he’s devastatingly handsome, incredible at Quidditch, teacher’s favourite and the most popular guy in school. You guessed it, it’s the one and only me,� Adam announced, winking at them causing Dominique to laugh even harder.

“When did you get so arrogant? It normally only extends to Quidditch,� she asked jokingly.

Adam was just about to reply when Molly said, “You didn’t mention anything about Prefect when we met you in Diagon Alley - congratulations.� Dominique noticed that she seemed quite dismayed at this. Maybe she’s just thinking about what Aunt Audrey said, she thought before turning her attention back to the conversation.

“I was talking about Quidditch and got dragged away before I could tell you,� he shrugged. “I figured I would just surprise Dom with it today to stop her from leaving school altogether at the thought of having to spend yet more time with me.�

Dominique smiled. “Come on, I guess we’d better get to the compartment before my darling sister finds yet another reason to hate me. Molly, who are you going to wait with?�

“Erm, probably Ash. I guess I’ll see you later,� she said before heading towards the back of the train. Dominique couldn’t shake the feeling that Molly was upset about something and made a note to ask her about that as well.

“See you later,� Dominique and Adam called back. Dominique found that she had calmed down considerably now that she knew she would be working with Adam for the year; the two of them got on well and she couldn’t help but smile when he was around.

When they arrived in the compartment, Dominique was amazed to see Victoire smiling and looking quite giddy. What’s made her so happy? Dominique thought, not understanding how her sister could go from being an ice queen for the majority of the summer to this.

“Is everyone here?� Victoire asked, looking around at everyone. Dominique was pleased to see that the boy standing at the front with her was Slytherin seventh year Idris Jacobs whom she got on well with. “Excellent. Well, I’d like to say hello and congratulations on becoming prefects. This is an incredible honour so it goes without saying that you are expected to treat it as such. Your job is to set an example to the other students and you risk losing your badge if you are anything but that.� She surveyed the room again, although Dominique noticed that her sister was deliberately avoiding looking at her.

After a short while, Dominique found that she had completely zoned out of the conversation and was not surprised to find that Adam and several of the others in the compartment had done the same. She breathed a sigh of relief once it was all over, anxious to get back to Molly.

“Should we patrol the train a bit now, just to get it out of the way?� Adam asked. Dominique nodded in agreement and the two made their way out of the compartment, getting into an in-depth conversation about Quidditch.

“I was thinking of holding tryouts next week so we can start training to newbies early. I’m used to having an experienced team to work with and now there are four of us left.�

“I think that’s a good idea. It’s going to take me a little while to get into the rhythm of working with two new chasers,� Dominique added. They paused suddenly as they heard shouting from a little way down the train.

“I suppose we better find out what that’s about,� Adam muttered.

Once they reached the commotion, Dominique let out an exasperated sigh; she wasn’t at all surprised by who she found. “Really, you two? We’re not even at school yet.� James and Fred were doing a particularly loud demonstration of a Weasley Wizarding Wheezes product.

“That’s never stopped you before,� James pointed out. Dominique felt herself going red as she realised just how big of a hypocrite she already sounded.

Noticing this, Adam swiftly stepped in. “Just keep the noise down, okay? You don’t want Victoire coming down here and confiscating anything.�

James and Fred looked at each other for a moment before agreeing. “Speaking of Victoire,� James said suddenly, “guess what I saw her doing earlier.�

“What?� Dominique asked curiously.

“She was snogging Teddy!�

“No way!� Dominique gasped, her eyes wide. “But - but he’s with Amelia! He’s engaged!� She couldn’t keep the disapproval out of her voice. What on earth was Teddy playing at? No wonder Victoire had seemed so happy earlier.

“He was,� a cold voice said behind her. Dominique turned around to see Victoire standing behind her and was shocked to see such a satisfied look on her face. Out of the corner of her eye she could see James and Fred slip back into their compartment, clearly hoping to keep out of trouble.

“What do you mean?� Dominique asked, although she was convinced she already knew the answer.

“They broke up.� Dominique was infuriated by how calm and matter-of-fact Victoire sounded. It was as though she had been waiting for this all along and she had finally won something. “You see, Dominique,� Victoire continued, “your plan to humiliate me and keep Teddy away from me doesn’t seem to have worked, does it?�

Dominique stared at her open mouthed. “What in Merlin’s name are you talking about? What plan?� she asked in bewilderment.

“Teddy told me all about your little conversation just before he proposed. You see, most people would want to spare their sister that humiliation and heartbreak of having to watch the love of their life announce his engagement in front of everyone, but you didn’t care. All you cared about was enjoying your precious party for the position you don’t even deserve,� Victoire finished cruelly and stormed off before Dominique could say anything. She just stood there in shock for a moment, tears forming in her eyes.

“Dom?� Adam asked softly.

“Yeah?� she replied, shaking herself out of her thoughts.

“Are you okay? What she just said was pretty harsh.� Dominique forced a small smile as she looked up at him.

“I’m used to it. She used to say things like that all the time when she got angry at me. It’s the only time she’s ever really cruel, when she’s upset or hurt I mean,� she muttered, trying not to show how hurt she was. It was true that Victoire often said harsh things to her when she was upset or angry - it was her way of venting - but this time felt different. This time it felt like she truly meant it and it scared Dominique.

“She still shouldn’t have said anything like that,� he continued.

“Well, that’s Victoire. Although I have to say I think I preferred it when she was ignoring me,� Dominique added. She was trying to keep her voice light, but she couldn’t prevent it from shaking. She was surprised when Adam suddenly wrapped her in a tight hug and even more surprised when she couldn’t stop herself from crying.

“It’s not true what she said, you know. You do deserve this position,� he said gently. Dominique just remained silent, not able to believe him. All the nervousness and worry she had been feeling before had come rushing back to her, strengthened by her sister’s words.

“Come on,� Adam said finally, “we’d better get changed into our robes, we’ll be there soon.�

---

Dominique, Molly and Adam were sat at the Slytherin table, impatiently waiting for the sorting to begin. This was often the dullest part of the feast, with the occasional exception of some of the speeches, so the three often passed the time making up the life stories of the first years being sorted. The sound of the doors opening signalled the arrival of new students and every sing head in the hall turned to face the terrified eleven-year-olds.

“They’re so small! I swear we weren’t that tiny when we first arrived,� Molly whispered.

“You say that every year,� Dominique grinned. She had cheered up considerably after the Victoire incident thanks to the help of Molly, Adam and her dorm mate Lillian.

“Look there’s Al and Rose!� Dominique looked to where Molly was pointing and smiled when she saw their younger cousins standing nervously.

“What house do you reckon they’ll be in?� Dominique asked.

“They’re both Gryffindors for sure,� she replied and Dominique nodded in agreement.

They waited in anticipation for their cousins to be sorted. “Potter, Albus,� Professor Longbottom eventually called. Dom and Molly straitened in their seats as they watched him make his way to the stool, trembling slightly as he did so. Whispers could be heard around the hall as Al continued to sit there while the minutes dragged on.

“He’s a hatstall!� Molly gasped. Dominique and Adam looked at her in confusion.

“What’s a hatstall?�

“It means that the hat’s torn between what house to put him in. I learnt about it over the summer,� Molly explained. “Mum spent her time tutoring me in “preparation for my OWLs�,� she added hastily at Dominique incredulous look.

At last the hat was ready to declare its verdict. “SLYTHERIN!� it called causing Dom and Molly to look at each other in shock before they began to cheer loudly.

“Move up,� Dominique hissed to Adam so they could make room for Al to sit down.

“Congratulations Al! You made it into the best house there is!� Dominique said lightly, noticing his downcast expression. “What took the hat so long to sort you?� she asked, unable to stop herself.

Al looked at her for a moment before replying, “We had a disagreement.�

“About what?�

“It wants me to be here, I don’t. It won,� Al replied shortly. Dom opened her mouth to say more but he had turned away from her. Well this is going to be fun, she thought wryly.

However Al’s sorting wasn’t the last surprise of the night. The second the hat touched Rose’s head it had already made up its mind and she was sorted into Ravenclaw. Once the sorting had finished, Professor Sprout stood up to give her speech.

“I only have a short speech today,� she said with a wry smile, surveying the hall. Dominique, Molly and Adam looked at each other in relief. “I take great pleasure in welcoming our new students to the school and to extend a fond welcome back to our older students. This year we are also welcoming a new member of staff who will be taking over the role of teaching Charms, so would you please give a warm welcome to Professor Jenkins!�

Polite applause filled the hall and whispers could be heard up and down the Slytherin table. “Dom!� Molly whispered. “Dom, it’s Amelia! Amelia’s our new professor!�