It's Been a While... (Christine)

[Geoffrey Montgomery]

Geoffrey missed his sister. Ever since he had graduated from Hogwarts and started working in the Ministry, he'd hardly seen Christine at all. They wrote often, but he was used to being inseparable from her.

So finally, he made arrangements to meet her in Hogsmeade to visit and catch up a little. He sent her an owl telling her to meet him in the tea shop.

[Christine Montgomery]

Christine was excited to get out of the castle, she hadn't been there long, really she had only been there a night, but she already could tell a place like that could stifle a person. She hadn't seen her cousin yet, only heard about her and the things she heard amused her, and also worried her if she thought back to what she had overheard a girl named Charlotte saying.

But when she received the owl she put the other thought aside. If Charlotte even thought about attacking the Montgomery family, Charlotte would pay.

Today Charlotte was the furthest thing from her mind as she made her way down to Hogsmead.

She spotted her brother instantly, of course she would, he was incredibly handsome, and...incredibly tall, which at her 5' 7" height made her jealous. She was considered tall for a female but used to being tall all her life until the boys shot up around her simply gave her another reason to dislike the male sex.

Ignoring decorum and all that proper nonsense Christine shouted "Geoff!" and started running for him.

[Geoffrey Montgomery]

Geoffrey was just about to enter the tea shop when he heard her voice calling his name. He turned around, smiling broadly. "Chrissy!" he yelled back, holding his arms outstretched for her. "Merlin, you're a sight for sore eyes! I've missed you like crazy, kid!"

She looked adorable, as always. "So, how are you feeling since your little accident? You realize if you ever scare me like that again, I'm going to have to chain you to myself to keep you out of trouble."

[Christine Montgomery]

She vaulted herself into his arms and hugged him tightly, then remarked on his nickname for her by rolling her eyes. She had told him when she was much younger that Chrissy was too feminine a name, and at that time she had been swinging out of trees just like her brother. He had taken to calling her that ever since, much to her consternation.

Then when he mentioned the accident she sighed, " Father's got me chained already." she said grumbling miserably and tossing her head in the direction of the castle.

[Geoffrey Montgomery]

Geoffrey shook his head. "Come on, it's not that bad. I went there, you know. And I have no doubt you'll be extremely popular. You're a Montgomery, after all. But I'm warning you right now, if any of the boys so much as give you a second glance, I'm going down there to hex them until their eyes fall out." He grinned and ruffled her hair playfully.

"And besides, now that you're staying in one place, you'll get to see me more often. That's a good thing, right?"

[Christine Montgomery]

Christine rolled her eyes, " Ugh, it's not that bad? It's a prison. And class? What a joke. I learned more traveling with uncle Chris than anything in any of those classes could teach me. And don't get me started on popularity." she shook her head, she didn't care, really since she never seemed one for crowds anyway, or to have a bunch of people dancing attendance on her to hear her words but never really listen to them. She hated this fake social scene. When he mentioned the boys she started laughing "Those puppies?" she asked incredulously.

"Seriously Geoff, I've been abducted by an Arabian Sheik who wanted to make me his seventh wife. I think if I can hold off his advances I can handle a bunch of teenage boys." she said the last part so belittlingly she was obviously teasing her brother who was still a teenager.

But when he mentioned seeing him more often she nodded, "It's the only good thing about this whole affair."

[Geoffrey Montgomery]

Geoff sighed. "Chrissy, what am I going to do with you?" he said. "Abducted by Arabian sheiks... falling overboard at sea... I know you love adventure, but you're not invincible. And believe it or not, teenage boys can be just as persistent and aggressive as Arabian sheiks. I know... I'm one of them." He gave her a lopsided grin. "I hate to say it, but I think maybe Dad's right. You need a little more structure in your life. And coming from me... well, that's saying something. But don't worry; I won't let you get too bored at the school, OK? I'll visit you often."

[Christine Montgomery]

"Rubbish." she announced about her being in danger, her not being invincible, and her not being able to handle the boys at the school."And that's another thing Mr. Montgomery. Why are you allowed to be aggressive and persistent? And if you say it's because you're a boy and I'm a girl you know you'll regret it. I'm entitled to the same freedoms you are Geoffrey." she said sternly.

Then she smiled impishly the smile that always let her get her way, "But I would like it if you visited more often" she said sweetly.

[Geoffrey Montgomery]

Geoff held up his hands innocently. "Hey, I didn't say we should be that way. Just that some of us are, that's all. I, for one, have always been a perfect gentleman." He laughed. "OK, not perfect. But I did learn proper manners, and I would never act... the way some guys I know would."

He worried about her, mostly because she didn't worry enough about herself. Her casual attitude was going to get her in trouble one day, and he only hoped he'd be around to rescue her from it. "Look... just be a little more careful, OK? As much as I love the idea of running to your rescue, I'd rather just know that you're keeping out of trouble. I'll make you a deal. You be more careful, and I'll visit you every weekend while you're at Hogwarts. How does that sound?"

[Christine Montgomery]

She laughed a little, " Come on Geoff, I'm stuck in nowhere'sville, that's not to say that London's not nearby, but I know that city like the back of my hand, this place is cake." she said shrugging. She wasn't afraid, perhaps she should have been but her love for adventure had been instilled into her early. She liked to believe there was nothing she couldn't do, and so she did it all.

At the end of the day however she was a proper girl, and still innocent in more than one way. But she could shoot a man from fifty feet away, she could drink a sailor under, and out maneuver a Chinese martial artist. What could harmless little Hogwarts do to her?

"And give me some credit, I'm not some empty brained socialite who wouldn't know how to drop kick one of you "perfectly gentlemen" teenagers. I'm not a damsel, and I can take care of myself." she said stubbornly.

When he made his deal she sighed and rolled her eyes, " Fine I'll be more careful." then she sobered, "But you must visit me Geoffrey I'm afraid I'll go mad with all this school business."

[Geoffrey Montgomery]

Self-confidence was great, especially for girls, who were always being told that they couldn't do something because of their gender. Geoff was glad that Christine was so confident in herself and her abilities. But he still worried for her. Over-confidence could be dangerous.

"Well, just keep an eye out, love," he said. He could be equally stubborn when given a chance, and he was going to worry about her, no matter what she said. Her accident on the ship still scared him a little, because he felt that both she and Christopher weren't telling him something about it. He needed to know that she was going to be OK.

"I'm going to try to visit as often as possible, I promise," he said. "It's not like my job keeps me busy on the weekends or anything."

[Christine Montgomery]

She shrugged when he told her to be careful, "I will dad." she teased him.

"That's good. " she said relieved, "Because I really didn't want to have to coerce some poor young kid into taking me to the Yule Ball." she rolled her eyes.

[Geoffrey Montgomery]

“Ohhh… that’s right, you’re having a Yule Ball this year,” Geoff said, slapping his forehead. “I can’t believe I almost forgot about that. Do you want me to take you? Or would you be too embarrassed to show up with your big brother?”

[Christine Montgomery]

"Are you kidding?" she asked with a smile, "I'll have the handsomest date there." she nodded absolutely certain of that fact. Besides she did not want to put up with some other guy trying to grope her all night, that simply wasn't her idea of fun. Of course the ball itself really wasn't her idea of fun, but she was putting on a good face for it and tried to imagine the whole affair as some kind of adventure.

[Geoffrey Montgomery]

Geoff grinned. "You bet you will," he teased. "This way I can keep an eye on you myself and make sure none of those Hogwarts boys get too friendly." He laughed, knowing how she felt about that. "But I promise, we'll have fun. I'll even show off some of my patented dance moves." At this, he made a goofy pose that he'd seen some muggle do once at a club.

[Christine Montgomery]

She groaned and then as if to get him back, " And I can try some of the dances I learned at the harem." she said boldly swishing her hips with her hands in the air. She of course would not dance like that at the yule ball but her threat to keep his goofy moves to a minimum was her sensual moves to herself.

[Geoffrey Montgomery]

Geoffrey laughed. "OK, OK. I promise I'll be on my best behavior," he said. "Just as long as you are. After all, if the Hogwarts boys are just 'boys' to you, I wouldn't want you to torture them too much."

He led her inside the tea shop and chose a table by the window. "So have you seen Samantha yet? I hear she was chosen as the Slytherin champion."

[Christine Montgomery]

She smirked when he told her to be on her best behavior, but when he brought up their cousin she frowned "I haven't seen her actually." she said shaking her head, "But she is Slytherin Champion, of course A Montgomery would be." she smiled proud of her cousin. "It's odd...she's a Montgomery but...she's like a stranger." Christine said shaking her head.

[Geoffrey Montgomery]

Geoffrey nodded. Although Uncle Edward spoke of Samantha often, they had seen very little of the girl growing up. "I know. I hope now that she's here, we'll get a chance to know her better. I know Caleb must be excited to have her here. Speaking of which, I really should send him an owl soon and see how he's doing. I haven't talked to him in a while."

[Christine Montgomery]

"They're coming down for dinner tonight." She had ran away from home the last night, well not really, but had stayed on the ship with Chris before he took off, but tonight she knew she was expected to be home, especially since her cousins were coming home as well.