The Hex Chromosome by Alison Seely

Author:Alison Seely
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers
Published: 2022-10-06T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 27

Lessons in Genetics

Sophie looked down in amazement at Catriona and Tina as they groggily peeled their way out of bed. “When did you get dressed? Where’s your jammies?” She claimed to have no memory whatsoever of their midnight exodus. “Why didn’t you wake me? I’d have gone for sure!” She protested, even when Tina told her she had unequivocally said NO to the adventure.

“It’s a good thing too,” Cat murmured to Tina as they descended the rope ladder for breakfast. “I could not have carried four of us on the broom.”

Tina was relieved to see Grammam in her normal position, rocking by the fire with a steaming cup of coffee. “You’re Ok?” She asked. “I was worried with how cold you were last night.”

“Oh—excitement kept me warm, my dear. That was brilliant. You should have come, Soph! And you too, Ro.” Sophie glowered.

Rowena raised a sardonic eyebrow. “It’s a good thing I didn’t, Mom. One of us needed to be healthy and sensible enough to thaw you out in the bathtub. It’s remarkable that you aren’t full of pneumonia after that escapade. I hope it was worth it.”

Grammam just grinned and winked at the Netherwood sisters.

“How come your mother could fly, but you can’t?” Catriona asked Grammam. It was a ruder question than Tina would have asked, but she was curious too.

“I’m just a half witch. My dad diluted my powers, I guess. Mom chose poorly. But hey, then so did I.” She laughed without sharing the joke.

The girls all looked bewildered. Sophie turned to her mom. “Can you explain, Mom? Grammam always talks in riddles when she talks about my grandfather or dad.”

Rowena looked a little irked. “Your grandmother is a bit of a snob about our witching genes. She bemoans her choice of a man since it didn’t strengthen my witching—I’m only a half witch, or half-blood as I guess you’d describe it now that Harry Potter has made all these terms part of regular English. And then after all my efforts to choose the right sperm donor, I ended up with more normal human blood, so you’re also just half-witch or possible a non-witch, Sophie. I don’t think it is a horrible sacrifice, and I love you just the way you are, hon. But Mom,” she paused and glared at Grammam pointedly. “Mom thinks we should have preserved her mother’s pure blood better. Especially since Catriona wandered into our lives with her blood lines intact.”

Catriona looked abashed. “Sorry, I know almost nothing about my blood lines. I had a mother and an aunt, but I know absolutely nothing about my father. My Mam never spoke of him at all. I always figured he was left behind in France when we left, but I was too wee to remember anything about that country at all.”

“Wow,” Breathed Sophie. “That is so cool that I have witching genes.”

Grammam looked sympathetically at her granddaughter as she shook her head. “We don’t know for sure you have the witching ability, Soph.

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