Pure

I would have spent every second I had keeping up with the Quidditch teams that were being winnowed out for the World Cup, but my upcoming exams simply wouldn't allow that. Phillip had me studying longer and later than I ever had before, and I found time racing by faster than I thought possible. Soon, June was upon me and I almost had a nervous breakdown about it, but Mother made me a calming drought and sent me to bed.

I went to the Ministry with Father to be examined for my O.W.L's and was a complete wreck until I had received my results; I'd passed all my subjects, though I'd made two Outstandings: in Defense Against The Dark Arts and Potions. To celebrate this, they'd asked me what I wanted as a present.

I thought hard about it, but told them I wanted an owl. Mother took me to an Owl Emporium in Berlin and I picked a boreal owl, finding him positively delightful; he was so small and full of personality. I named him Vestri, after one of the dwarves from norse mythology. Father put him to use as soon as we got back, however.

He invited his three brothers, their wives and children to come along with us, making it a rather large party that would be taking a Portkey to the deserted moor in Britain where the World Cup would be taking place. They would be arriving the day before, so that we could make the long walk into the Black Forest where our Portkey would be leaving at five fifteen in the morning.

Our house elves were working feverishly to prepare the Manor for their arrival, while Mother was teaching me all the names of the relatives I'd met only once at a funeral when I was three; our family was not close by any means. This would be quite the reunion.

"Virst, your uncle Augustus," she told me and held up a picture of an older man with salt and pepper black hair and darker eyes; I could see a bit of resemblance between him and my father, but just barely. "Your vather's oldest brozer and his wife and your aunt, Elfriede, voo's here," she said, showing me a mahogany haired woman.

"Uncle Augustus and Aunt Elfriede, got it," I murmured, and she pulled out another picture, this time of a man who looked extremely like my father.

"Uncle Kristof iz your vather's youngest brozer; his wife iz Alheid," she coached, pulling out a picture of an older, refined blonde woman. "And here's Sven," she showed me a reserved man with a slight receeding hair line, "and his wife, Ramya," and showed me startlingly beautiful Indian woman.

"Oh," I breathed and my mother gave me a small half smile, nodding.

"Exquisite, isn't she? He met her ven he vas in India on business, but he decided to stay zere vith her. She iz expecting zeir virst child," she told me and I smiled, thinking of a beautiful little baby. "I do not hafe any pictures ov your cousins, and it vould be a vaste ov time to try and teach zem to you. You shall meet zem tomorrow."

"...How many again?" I asked hesitently. She gave me a knowing look and sighed.

"In all? Seven."

__

The next day we all stood on the front steps, in our finest dress robes, waiting for the separate von Deitrich families to arrive by portkeys. Even though Augustus and Kristof only lived a few hours away, they couldn't apparate; their younger children weren't of age. Uncle Sven and Aunt Ramya were to arrive first at six, which was two minutes away, followed by Uncle Kristof and Aunt Alheid, then Uncle Augustus and Aunt Elfriede. I began to shuffle my feet back and forth, annoyed. Mother shot me a look and I merely huffed in response.

"Saden," she hissed, on edge from the pressure of being hostess.

"I'm not doing anything," I snapped brattily. She opened her mouth in retaliation, when Father raised his hand.

"‎Aufhören*!" he barked, and we quickly desisted, our faces showing mild abashment, when a blue lit lit up the otherwise late afternoon sunshine; two figures spun into existance and landed lightly on their feet, apparently unruffled by the Portkey.

"Brother!" Sven called amiably, striding over. I saw Father break into a wide grin and they hugged fiercely, talking swiftly in german. Ramya smiled sweetly at us and came to hug my mother, kissing her gently on the cheek.

"Oh, Ceindrych," she breathed, holding her at arms length. "You haven't aged a bit."

Mother laughed, shaking her head, "Nein, Ramya. It is you voo has not aged, though you vere certainly not vith child last time," she said lightly, pressing her hands softly to her swollen abdomen. Ramya laughed, her brown eyes sparkling as she placed her hands over my mother's.

"This child is already a fighter, quite like his father," she said warmly, looking over at her husband, where he was now roaring with laughter at something Father had said. I had been politely quiet up until this point, and I saw my aunt double take at my appearance. "Saden! You've grown up so much. You look just like Frederick- come give me a hug," she instructed kindly, pulling me towards her.

I felt my cheeks burn as I blushed all the way down to my toes, but embraced her all the same, her belly putting up a small boundry between us.

"Thank you," I murmured shyly, and when I stepped back she looked over at her husband once more.

"Sven! Quit rough housing and come say hello to your sister in-law and niece!" she admonished. Father clasped my uncle on the back and led him over, the laughter still on both of their cheeks. Sven greeted Mother, then smiled at me, beckoning me closer.

"Vell, Frederick, no vonder you hafe been hiding her avay," he said mildly, after he had kissed the top of my head and hugged me. "She iz schön*."

"Ja, I know," Father said proudly. "Only zee best shall hafe zee pleasure ov being around my Saden." By this time, I was thoroughly embarassed, though flattered.

"When will Kristof and Alheid be here?" Ramya asked, looking around the manor grounds with interest. Father pulled out his pocket watch, but it wasn't needed. Another blue light appeared, bringing along with it a chorus of voices. Three boys picked themselves up off the ground, looking disheveled and cross. Kristof and Alheid immediately began greeting us.

After Alheid had hugged Mother and Ramya, she turned to me, smiling brightly. "Oh, you are a pretty thing, aren't you?" she asked rhetorically, and I noticed she had an Irish accent. "But I bet there's a nice little temper underneath, Frederick?"

He laughed, nodding, "She iz a spitfire, my Saden; I do not know vhy she iz being shy all ov a sudden." Everyone laughed lightly, causing me to flush red once more. Kristof pulled the three boys over and shook his head.

"I vish zees hellions vere shy. Benjamin iz oldest, entering his vinal year at Durmstrang, vile Theodor iz in his sixth, and little Fritz is too young vor school," Kristof said pointing to each one; I noticed they did, indeed, look like hellions, especially the two oldest. Benjamin and Theodor smirked like they knew all of life's secrets and I rolled my eyes.

No one noticed this because the final Portkey arrived, pulling a group even bigger than the last; two twin boys began to tear their way through the group and a hoarse voice rang out: "I vill svitch you two until you are bleeding iv you do NOT behafe!"

Laughter immediately swelled as the two bounded back to their mother, shuffling their feet. Elfriede pushed her wild reddish brown curls out of her face and sighed, gesturing for her daughters to come say their hellos. They both remarkably like their mother; they stood poised and indifferent, a far cry from the boys. Augustus stood behind, towering over his wife, smiling bemusedly.

"Zis iz Nina, our oldest at zeventeen attending Beauxbatons," Elfriede said, and Nina gave a small inclination of her head; I remembered my mother had told me they had all moved to France just so their children could go there. "Ingrid iz in her virst year there, and Niklas and Matthias are zeven."

"Twins, I take it? You must hafe your hands full," Mother stated ruefully, and Augustus gave the boys a look, shaking his head.

"Zat iz putting it lightly," he replied pleasantly, stepping forward to kiss her cheek. "You hafe it easy! One child!" All eyes were once more upon me, and I ducked my head and stepped slightly behind Father, who slipped his arm gently around my shoulders.

"She iz all vee vanted, but vee can talk inzide! Come! Vee shall show you zee manor!" he cried, turning to walk up the steps while the family followed behind us.