Thank you! The story is finished, so posting will be prompt.

I'm sure you know what has to happen when midnight strikes...

I intend to make you hate her even more before I begin to let you feel sorry for her...

Life around Blaise Zabini generally tends to become interesting...

Isn't that the essence of evil? Cressida isn't plotting to take over the world, but she has zero empathy for anyone else (except perhaps Xavier) and zero regard for factual accuracy. I hope by now you're feeling a little sorry for her daughters... Thanks for reviewing.

Yes, I know I'm caricaturing "modern morality". It might annoy some divorced people, but I think the children's point of view deserves to be heard. Thanks for reading.

Thank you! You may have to wait until the last chapter before you see Sally-Anne actually "dealing" with Cecilia.

P.S. What is "WB"?

I'm sorry to hear that these events are familiar to you. Actually, I was going to consult you about this. A few readers on other sites have complained that they have found this story too distressing to read because the writing was too accurate. I did try to select a Warning when I posted here, but you don't seem to have an appropriate one. I do think that vulnerable readers should be warned in advance that this story night not be suitable for them.

Cressida's background is not very interesting to her stepdaughters, who simply want to get away from her, but if you really want to know, she is a great-great-granddaughter of Phineas Nigellus Black. Another point that I don't really have room to make in this story is that her parents have not been very supportive; they have really left her feeling that she has to solve all her problems herself. So if you remember anything about her first husband (he's a canon character), you'll know why she's insecure. Cressida's parents are Lothario and Euphonia Honeysmooch; they own a perfume shop in Diagon Alley. Her sister Messalina served a term as DADA teacher at Hogwarts, as I relate in "Moons of Deceit". Anyway, I'm afraid it will be a long time before Sally-Anne has the maturity to see anything from Cressida's point of view. And whatever her background, her behaviour to other people is nevertheless inexcusable!

Dear MM, Thanks for taking the trouble to review when you have so many fanfics running through your life! I had help on the dialects - if in doubt, I try to go to a native speaker. I AM a native speaker of Midlands, so the Perks family is easy for me. Thank you for telling me that Sally-Anne worked for you. Her lack of perfection is actually a fairly important plot point. I'm so happy that you wrote in. GhV