Every time I start a chapter I itch to just start by writing- I'm back- in the author's note and then laughing at my own cleverness (or puniness? I guess).

Not a very happy chapter this one. But we can work with it.

All past chapter. From next chapter starts the present again.

Song for this chapter is 'Honestly' by Kelly Clarkson.

The Potter family had this fixed family dynamic. A dynamic which was clear even to their mere acquaintances. Though the parents loved both their kids equally, it was always apparent that Lisa was much closer to her dad while James was closer to his mom.

You could see these dynamics at work predominantly at the food table.

On a common day, Lisa would sit beside her dad, James by his mom.

Euphemia would dote upon James as if he were a fragile china glass and James would soak in the attention his chest puffing out. Lisa and her father would find this extremely amusing and silently laugh at the mother-son duo's antics, teasing them behind their backs, trying not to let Euphemia hear.

They would obviously fail.

Euphemia would hear and, depending upon her mood and James' reaction, she would either scold the two or just give up (Lisa swore they were the reason behind most of her mom's grey hair).

When things were particularly interesting- James would prank Lisa for making fun of him and she would prank him right back, often leading to a full-blown prank war in the Potter household leaving everyone residing their with fresh tales to tell their friends.

But as mentioned before, all this happened 'on a common day'.

The Potters sat around the dining table for lunch.

At first, you would think nothing was wrong. Lisa still sat beside her father who was sitting at the head of the table, her mother on her opposite side and beside her mother sat James.

But then you would notice their expressions.

Fleamont Potter sat, a neutral expression on his face, focusing on his dinner. This might not have been a cause of concern if you didn't know the, usually jovial and talkative, man.

Euphemia Potter who had originally been talking happily with her son, had soon noticed her husband's shift in mood. Now she was nervously looking between the man and her children.

James Potter looked confusedly at his parent's sudden silence, particularly his mom's who had abruptly stopped their conversation. He didn't understand what was happening and sat silently, trying to figure everything out.

Lisa Potter was in a similar state. She wasn't sure what was happening. But unlike James, she could tell that something was wrong. Her dad was not his usual self. That didn't stop her from trying to tell herself otherwise, as if ignoring the elephant in the room would make it disappear.

For the first time in years, the Potter's lunch table was completely silent.

Euphemia nudged her husband.

Fleamont looked up, almost nonchalantly, as if he didn't see anything out of the usual.

"Honey," Euphemia said, "Don't you want to ask the kids anything?."

Fleamont stared intently at Euphemia, the two sharing a silent conversation, emphasises by quirks of eyebrows and pursing of lips.

After a few moments, Fleamont looked away, clearing his throat. "Yes, yes, of course," he looked towards James and Lisa, plastering a smile onto his face, so visibly forced, "How's school going for you both?"

"It was nice dad," Lisa replied. James responded similarly.

"Not troubling the teacher are you?"

"Of course not." "Never dad." Both said in similarly unconvincing tones.

"Unless you consider Filch a teacher."

"Or Madame Pince."

The corners of Fleamont's mouth twitched. "What about pranks?"

James immediately launched into a rant, telling them about the pranks he had carried out with the other Marauders. Lisa listened with heightened glee to a certain prank containing an orangutan and her wonderful (note the sarcasm) DADA professor.

By the time James had finished, the mood in the room had lifted considerably. Even the tension between the two siblings had lessened. As they joked around and laughed.

Her father then faced her for the first time that day, a grin on his face.

"What about you Lisa? Any pranks?"

Lisa opened her mouth, ready to tell her dad about Incendies, the Halloween prank and the feys one. Her eyes then fell on James and she paused.

Was she ready to reveal Incendies to James?

He was joking and talking to her now, but how long would this mood of his last? What if he went back to his cold self when they returned to Hogwarts? What if he then decided to reveal that she was Incendies? Not to mention that one of the reasons she kept Incendies a secret was because of him.

She would have to tell her dad when James wasn't around.

Mind made up she said, "Um- no, no I haven't." She tried to catch her dad's eyes to hint that she was being dishonest. But he didn't notice.

"Ok," was all he said disappointedly. He turned back to his food. Returning to silence.

Her mother who was again engaged in a conversation with James, didn't notice this time.

Lisa tried to catch her dad's attention again and again, but he wouldn't respond When the lunch was over, her father quickly left the room leaving her to rush after him, filled with excitement, wanting to tell him everything.

"DAD!" she called out towards his retreating back, "Dad- wait! I need to tell you something. Dad- "

He didn't listen.

Instead, he walked into his office, slamming the door behind.

Lisa rushed to the door and turned the doorknob to open the door.

It was locked.

She frowned, trying to open the door again. Her dad never locked the door.

When it didn't open, she felt a pit in the depth of her stomach.

She shook the feeling away. Her father was probably doing some important work and didn't want to be interrupted. She stepped back with a sigh, deciding to talk to him when he came out after completing his work.

He didn't come out for the rest of the day.

"Mum," Lisa's voice was tentative.

Her mother looked back at her, wiping some dirt from her forehead, acquired from tending to the alyssums in her garden.

She smiled at Lisa, "What is it?"

Lisa wrung her hands, not knowing how to proceed.

It was the last day of the holidays. Each day had passed similarly to the first. James glaring at her. Her mom being the sweetest human on earth. The house-elves being their delightful self. Her room being a safe haven.

And her dad still ignoring her.

The only difference was with James. The boy had started noticing their father's ignoring her and had started blaming her for that, shifting from just ignoring her to being outright nasty. As if making up for Sirius' (who troubled her at school) absence.

Every day she tried to work up the nerve to ask her mother about her dad. But fear of what she might hear made her chicken out every time.

But she would be returning to Hogwarts tomorrow. And she couldn't leave without asking her mom.

She took a deep breath.

"Why is dad ignoring me?"

Her mother froze. "What?"

Lisa shifted nervously, forcing the words out again, with equal resistance met.

"Why is dad ignoring me?"

Euphemia looked at her for a few moments.

She then let out a sigh.

"Merlin I'd hoped you wouldn't notice," she huffed. Euphemia shifted upon the ground so that she was sitting comfortably. She then patted the ground beside her, signalling for Lisa to sit.

Lisa sat with raised eyebrows.

"I realise now that that was a stupid plan," she said looking towards Lisa with a small smile. When Lisa didn't return it she sighed again.

Lisa had been noticing how weary her mother seemed sometimes these days.

She was the one who was trying to involve the whole family in conversations, trying to get them to work along, essentially holding onto the whole family with a flimsy thread. But with each passing day, she seemed to give up a bit more. Her energy, her resolve diminishing. So much so that yesterday she didn't even try to make small talks at dinner.

"Your dad," Euphemia started before pausing, "Um- you see... You must understand Lisa that we always love you, your dad just needs to adjust, to process the information. It's a bit of a shock for him you see..."

"Mum," I interrupted, "I won't judge. I just need to know."

Euphemia nodded, "Yes- um- it's... it's just," she paused again as if trying to find the right words, "Your sorting..."

Lisa stood up abruptly. Euphemia jumped at the sudden movement.

Those words were enough for her to understand.

"Slytherin. It's because I'm a Slytherin, isn't it?" she asked trying to keep her voice as calm as possible.

She had guessed this, dwelled on this reason more times than she could count. But she had never let herself believe it, feeling like such a terrible daughter for even thinking that her parents were capable of acting like this.

Euphemia avoided her eyes. But the look on her face was enough of a confirmation.

"He's just shocked. He still loves you," she said defensively. She looked up, "We still love you."

Lisa nodded.

She tried to push down the feeling of betrayal in her gut.

Her father still loved her. He wasn't like James. He loved her. He was her dad.

Blood is thicker than water, she repeated that phrase like a mantra in her head.

She sat back down beside her mother, staring at the unblooming plants, trying to distract herself from everything.

But she couldn't help herself. She couldn't help herself from asking.

"How long will he take?" She didn't look at her mother as she continued, "To get over me being a... a Slytherin."

"I can't tell Lisa," Euphemia said shaking her head, "Hopefully by summer break."

Lisa just nodded.

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