The Princeton/Spencer Family (the_princetons) wrote in weddedto_sonora, @ 2012-01-03 16:30:00 |
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Current mood: | anxious |
And so another year passes, and nothing's changed.
A whole term away from home hadn’t been as…unbearable as he’d thought. It hadn’t been amazing, of course, but he had met some reasonably friendly and respectable Americans who seemed normal. His roommate had been a great help in keeping him from missing home too much, and Quidditch team practises certainly kept him busy, though apparently his team was quite horrible. They had lost their first game against Aladren, and Cepheus had to keep himself from shouting in disappointment. If he’d been the Seeker, he swore he would have caught the Snitch quicker. But now he was home, and nothing beat the smell of the English countryside. Nothing. His mother had come to pick him up with his emphatic younger brother Rupert. Rup could hardly keep his hands to himself, touching American soil and saying that it was different, touching his brother with those same filthy hands and asking him about school, before their mum had scolded him. Rupert, the troublemaker and cause of most of Mum’s worries, did so diligently, but not before embracing her and getting her mucked up. She hadn’t spoken to him for awhile after that.
But all that was forgotten after Christmas. Christmas had been a delight at home. Cepheus seemed to appreciate it much more now that he was away at school most of the year. The annual Christmas ball thrown by one of his father's good friends was actually fun this year, and he didn't squirm in his dress robes this time. He felt more grown-up in them now, and he didn't know why he hadn't liked them before. He could even tolerate some of Rupert’s stupid antics. All in all, he'd felt very grown, like he could take on the world. But as the end of the year crept closer, so did the end of his great-grandfather’s life. Orion Princeton was 102 years old since December 1, and quite old and frail. He’d been sick with a cold for nearly three weeks now, and the healers said he couldn’t last with a cold much longer. Cepheus found himself at his great-grandfather’s bedside on New Year’s Eve, and he was bored. His great-grandfather wasn’t even speaking to anyone, just laying there with his eyes closed. Cepheus would’ve guessed the old wizard was dead already if it wasn’t for his raspy breaths. He’d never felt particularly close to the old wizard, and he glanced at Dorian, who was standing with his mother, from time to time, wanting to play instead of waiting for his great-grandfather to die.
There was a sudden gasp, and then his grandmother began to cry. Cepheus looked over at his grandfather, watching as he closed great-grandfather’s eyes. Finally. He would have felt bad for his thought if he cared enough, but the boy just wanted to leave this depressing place. He looked over at his stoic father, and then at his mum who was also staring at the body. Cepheus was a little disappointed that his great-grandfather had slipped away so quickly. He wondered if the light really did leave one’s eyes when they died. He would’ve had an urge to open his great-grandfather’s eyes again just to see if he wasn’t scared of getting in trouble. And scared of looking into a dead wizard's eyes.
Instead, he tugged on his mother’s sleeve and she nodded at him to go. Grabbing Dorian, he slipped out of the quiet room. “Glad he’s finally gone. Now there isn’t anyone left to die for awhile,” Dorian said. Cepheus nodded quietly. “I’ve never been to a funeral before. Reckon this is the first one I’ll be going to, if Mum lets me.”
“Really?” Cepheus looked in surprise at his second cousin.
“Yeah. I mean, it’s not really like we’re invited to many.”
“You didn’t go to Great-Grandmother’s funeral?”
“No. I think my family was on holiday.”
“Oh.”
“Anyway, I’m glad we’re out of there. It was getting rather depressing.”
“I know what you mean. What do you think’ll happen when Grandfather finally keels over?”
Dorian shrugged. “What always happens. Your dad will take over the family, and then when he dies, you will.” He grinned. “Ready for that?”
Cepheus felt slight anxiety at the thought of taking over. “I suppose I don’t really have a choice.”
“You could always be disowned and let ol’ Rup take over.”
Cepheus laughed. “Right. Let the family name go to the dogs.”
“Aw, he isn’t that bad, is he?”
“Last week he set the tutor’s hair on fire. Not purposely, of course, but ever since that tutor assigned him with loads of essays on English grammar, he’s been in a right state.”
Dorian whistled. “I could imagine.”
“CEEEEEEEEEPHEUUUUUUS!” came a call that echoed throughout the entire house.
“Speak of the devil,” Dorian grinned.
“What is it?” Cepheus yelled back. They were finally down the stairs and Cepheus walked towards the voice.
“Your friends are here!”
Cepheus saw them before Rupert’s statement reached him, and he grinned. Emma smiled back and tossed her straight auburn hair over her shoulder. “We thought we’d take you blokes out for New Year’s Eve if you want. It’ll be good to get you two out of this depressing place for a bit.”
“Yeah, play while they’re planning the funeral,” Dorian laughed.
“Don’t say it like that,” Georgina chastised, and Dorian smirked.
“I don’t think he’ll mind, being dead and all.”
Georgina gave a disapproving frown, and Dorian just winked at her.
“Anyway,” Cepheus said, “I think we should go out. It’s almost ten. Fancy a trip to the sweets shop?”
“Not at this hour. Let’s make some butterbeer in the kitchen and go to the hill. We can watch the fireworks there,” Emma replied.
“Like last year?” Dorian groaned.
“Come on, you’ve got to like the traditions,” Georgina piped up, playing with her blonde curls. “And anyway, I like the fireworks.”
“I’m in,” Cepheus said, and Dorian sighed.
“Fine. I suppose if Ceph is in, I’m in.”
“Perfect.” Emma shot them a smile. “I’ll get the butterbeers ready.”
Cepheus had almost forgotten his family mourning upstairs until he heard soft footsteps upstairs, as if the person up there was afraid of waking someone. Thoughts of Dorian’s previous words made Cepheus’s chest tighten, and he took a deep breath to calm himself. He hated talking about taking over the family with anyone. His father constantly reminded him that he had to be more responsible in order to be in charge of the family, that there were loads of responsibilities, and Cepheus’s greatest fear was disappointing his father and his family. Too much pressure on a mere twelve-year-old. He took another deep breath as his friends went on ahead of him. Emma, noticing he wasn’t following very closely, turned before rounding the corner.
“All right, Ceph?”
“Yes, I’m fine.”
“Okay.” She smiled sweetly and Cepheus swallowed, taking deep breaths, trying to push the anxiety from his mind. But the thoughts of taking over the family in the future and being in charge of the Princeton name was always at the back of his mind, pressing against the walls he had built around it.