Ravenclaw's Shadow

Chapter 66

A month before the wedding I go to visit Mum and Dad. I'm staying there the night before the wedding, so I'd brought my dress, veil, etc. over so that I wouldn't forget anything on the day.

We're sitting in the living room, drinking blood - for a change - and talking about the wedding. For a change.

"I think everything's coming together," I say, "Tilly will arrive the morning before, we'll have the rehearsal and the rehearsal lunch after."

"Well, there's only a month left," Dad says, "isn't about time you changed George?"

"Oh, no, I'm not changing him before the wedding," I say.

"What?" Mum leaps to her feet, "what do you mean?"

"We decided that we're going to wait," I say, "I want there to be a chance for us to have a human child. So after our first baby, in a few years, I'll change him."

"You can't marry a human," Dad says firmly.

"Of course I can," I argue, "I'll turn him one day, when we're ready."

"You cannot marry a human!" Mum repeats, "no one in our family has ever married a human!"

"It's fine-"

"IT IS NOT FINE!" Dad roars, leaning over me, "if you do not change him before the wedding, then I retract my blessing."

"He's not going to be a human forever!" I yell back, "there's no rush in turning him!"

"You'll be disgraced!" Mum shrieks, "we will be disgraced!"

"I knew this would happen!" Dad shouts, pacing back and forth, "you're too immature to be making these decisions!"

"Or maybe it just doesn't matter to me that he's not a vampire," I snap, "I'm not a vampire elitist. I don't think we're better than humans."

"Aurelia, don't be ridiculous," Mum says, "don't you care about tradition?"

"No, not really."

Mum looks like she's going to slap me. Dad's eyes are blazing with fury.

"Aurelia, hear me," Dad says, his voice low, "if he is not turned, if you marry a human, you are dead to us."

I stare at him for a moment, my vision going red.

"I am not turning him before the wedding," I say, "if you don't like that, then I'd rather you weren't there."

"We certainly will not be!" Mum says. She turns and sweeps upstairs.

"I'l see you out," Dad says.

"Don't bother," I reply, picking my bags up again and walking away. I get home and put my bags down. I realise I'm shaking and sink down onto the sofa. I hear George come in, but don't respond to his greeting.

"Aurelia?"

He sits down beside me and takes my hand.

"Hey, what's wrong?" he asks.

"My parents..." I blink and feel tears escape my eyes, "my parents aren't coming to the wedding."

"What? Why not?"

"Because you're still human," I say, my voice thick, "they can't live with me marrying a human."

"Do you want me to change before then?" George asks, rubbing my back. I shake my head and lean into him.

"Just when I thought everything was going so well," I sigh.

"Hey, there's still a month left," he says, "maybe they'll come around."