Cinders and Magic (Harry Potter/Worst Witch Crossover)

Parents

"I'm home!"

Hermione looked up from scrubbing the bathroom floor near the hallway entrance, part of a long list of tasks her stepmother assigned after having Hermione write a letter to her father to her stepmother's standards. She sat up straight, confused. "He's not supposed to be home yet, but normally, Ursula bustles me from whatever task she assigned me before he arrives home." Her brown eyes opened and closed. "As if she doesn't want him to know?"

She stood up, stepping to the doorway, confirming her father hadn't entered through the front entrance as Sybil tore down the stairs, Ethel scolding her for being unladylike, grinning ear to ear, and nearly tripping over her own two feet as she did so. "Papa!"

As such, Hermione caught sight of her father, dressed in strange clothing that seemed in some ways out of the Victorian era, peeking out from the drawing room doors, beaming ear-to-ear at his two girls, waving his hand at them as Sybil skidded to a stop, looking at the entrance and just as confused as Hermione was. "I'm over here."

Sybil turned, rushing over, not caring about the oddness of her father appearing there instead of the front foyer, reaching her arms up. Regulus responded in kind, swooping his youngest into his arms so she might kiss his cheek and snuggle her face into the crook of her neck, immensely pleased her father was home.

"You're early."

Hermione stiffened, hearing the sound of her stepmother's voice; she stiffened even more when Ursula touched her shoulder, ushering her out of the bathroom, turning her head in time to see Ursula disappear the pail of water and scrubbing materials with a wave of her wand, confirming she likely didn't want her husband to know. "Yet, I don't want Sybil to be taken away from father if he were to find out and divorce her mother."

Regulus frowned, sitting on the front hall bench with Sybil on his lap as he reached down to untie his knee-high boots. "I received Hermione's letter letting me know she's received her acceptance letter and was looking forward to seeing me and discussing Hogwarts."

"You could have sent word that you'd be returning early, though I suspect your parents will be pleased to see you at dinner tonight."

Hermione watched her father tense; his tone turned cold as he forgot about his boot. "My parents? You invited them over for dinner? Whatever for?"

"Because we now can talk about magic in front of Sybil!" Ursula said, stepping around Hermione, pretending she wasn't there, glaring at the halfway undone boot while Regulus sat up straight, his gray eyes narrowing at his wife. "Thus, keeping your parents away from their grandchild is unnecessary."

"Grandchildren," Regulus said. "I've more than one daughter, Ursula. This is something we should have discussed between us rather than you deciding on your own."

"As if you'd have agreed," Ursula said.

"Because..." Regulus said, then stopped, looking at Sybil. He sighed, changing his frown to a smile, hugging her tightly, pulling her in to kiss her forehead, and looking up at Ethel, who remained on the stairway. "Can you call Esmerelda down? I've brought gifts."

"Actual magical gifts this time," Ethel asked.

Regulus' eyes blinked as Ursula turned, a tinge of red appearing on her face. "Ethel! Just go and get your sister."

"She's right there, isn't she?" Ethel snarked back, nodding at Sybil before going upstairs and getting Esmerelda.

Sybil tugged on her father's robes. "Papa!"

"Yes?" Regulus asked, holding his youngest close.

"You look quite dashing! Like Prince Charming."

"Oh," Regulus said, letting out a laugh and placing another kiss on her forehead. "Thank you, dear one." He motioned for Hermione. "And my other dear one, come!"