Chapter 82
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"You are not getting me out of this blanket," Pansy groaned from under the thicket blanket they had ever seen before. She lifted one of the corners. "Logan, get your ass in here. You're a human furnace."
Logan shook his head, looking at Theo as the other boy just rolled his eyes and nodded. Logan shifted Pansy along a little on the bench, getting her to nuzzle into his side for warmth as he laid the blanket over them.
There were nine people in the compartment, enlarged by Magic so they could fit along with too many animals for it to logically work but they made it work.
Hedwig, Corvus, and Astoria's little owl named Aster, were all flying home. On the overhead baskets, Emperor slept with Daphne's cat, Marri, and Theo's cat, Dax. Everyone else didn't bring animals to school with them. Fidele was wrapped around Rebekah's torso, taking the warmth the Witch gave as his head rested on her shoulder. Enyo slept on top of Emperor's head.
"Are you cold too, 'Bekah?"
Rebekah's right hand wouldn't stop trembling, making the charms on her bracelet clank together with each twitch. She shook her head and smiled softly. "Just tired."
"You've been in the Chamber for the last two days," Daphne narrowed her eyes accusingly. "Did you sleep while you were done there?"
it was true. Rebekah hadn't left the Chamber until she absolutely had to. All of her meals were brought to her by HouseElf but she didn't eat. She couldn't eat, nor could she hold it down as she felt her right thigh tremble.
She couldn't stand the sight of her right thigh at the moment, the scars just brought back the pain she vividly remembered. She hid it by wearing trousers or tights, prefering to not see it if she didn't have to.
Having another mark from that bastard just made her angrier than it should have. The scar on her shoulder, the one that signified that she was the Girl-Who-Lived, ran from halfway down her neck, down to her collarbone where it went across to her shoulder before going down to halfway down her bicep. It was large but now paled over the years enough so that it was easily hidden.
The three slashes against her thigh were still pinker than the rest of her skin, making them look angry and fresh.
"I did." She nodded stiffly. "I need time to process everything, and I needed to do some research before I could settle myself down."
Tracey rolled her eyes. "Have you eaten anything? You didn't come to breakfast either, and you didn't come to dinner last night."
"I've had a few nutrition potions to get myself back up but I ate some fruit this morning. I'll eat more tonight," Rebekah smiled softly at that thought. "We're having cottage pie, and if I hear any remarks of how Muggles live, you are sleeping in the garden."
They gulped as Rebekah's eyes darkened, turning icy even with their green hue.
"Got it."
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When the train stopped at Station Nine and Three Quarters, all the students that were going home for the holidays were forced to stay on the train for an extra quarter of an hour.
Nyphadora Tonks and Mad Eye Moody got onto the train and located the Crown, getting them under strong Notice-Me-Not spells before getting all nine students out of the carriage and off the train. Moody almost grabbed Rebekah by the arm by the third time someone accidently walked into her.
Sirius had requested a car from the Ministry. He stood outside the King's Cross station, leaning against the hood of the limousine car. If they needed to get almost a dozen people into a single car and not have the Muggles notice, they would need to make it believable. There wasn't even a driver.
The journey to Number 4 Privet Drive was loud because Tonks and Sirius kept talking to the teens and got them into a heated discussion of if Muggle or Magical music was better. He, Tonks, Tracey and Rebekah were on the side of Muggle music while the rest were on the Magical side.
Mad-eye Moody just gave them the stink eye and made them shut up before they attracted too much attention from the outside.
Aunt Petunia stood at the door, letting them all come inside.
"No Magic," She said, watching their faces for any expressions. "No detectable Magic, at least. Ladies, you are staying with Rebekah in her room, and gents, you are also staying in Rebekah's room. There isn't a way for me to split you because I know you'll just sneak back in. You can sort the sleeping arrangements between yourselves. There is a guest bedroom free too."
"You sure you'll be alright with nine teenagers, Mrs Dursley?" Moody said, his hands on the staff in front of him. "These lot are a rowdy bunch."
She laughed lightly. "They can't be worse than Dudley and his friends. As long as they keep out of trouble and don't get arrested, I'm fine with whatever they do."
Tonks snorted, her nose turning to a pig's for a second. "You've just challenged them to get away with the biggest thing they can imagine."
"Don't even think about it." The teenagers stopped snickering, going serious as they saw the look on Petunia's face.
"Yes, ma'am,"
The face dropped as a smile surfaced. "Call me Aunt Petunia. Get the animals settled and get ready for dinner. Chop chop, ladies and gents."
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The morning was still young.
The Crown had fallen asleep in the living room.
It was disgustingly cute how innocent they looked.
Instead of using all of the floor space that was available, They managed to get three people on the sofa with Theo on the bottom, Logan laying on top of him in a hug. Tracey sat up asleep, her feet on a poof as Theo and Logan had their feet in her lap.
Daphne was curled up on the armchair, legs tucked up in the thick blanket she had around her shoulders.
It seemed like Draco, Pansy, Blaise and Rebekah were the ones to take up the spaces between the sofa and armchair. There was barely enough space for all of them as the animals decided to join them.
Pansy was between Blaise and Draco, spread out into a crooked starfish with her legs entwined with theirs and her arms in their faces more or less. Those two were just as spread out as Pansy was, she had arms in her face too.
And like usual, Rebekah was surrounded by animals. She used Emperor as a pillow and blanket, letting the now lion sized Familiar to drape over her. Enyo was in her shirt, using her chest as a pillow and relishing in the warmth. Fidele was curled around one of her thighs, hiding the disgusting scar she hated and he knew. Marri and Dax slept on her stomach, using her and the blanket she had thrown over herself as coverage.
When there was a knock at the door, Petunia went to open the door, shushing Sirius as he came into the house.
"You're too skinny," She said snippily. "Go eat breakfast as I wake the children."
"Just ask Hedwig to wake them up," Sirius said, coming in and clasping a quick hand on her shoulder before strutting away to the kitchen. "Trust me, it works."
And she did, letting Hedwig swoop downstairs before the owl let out an unholy screech.
"AAHHH!"
All the teens but Rebekah bolted up with a yelp of surprise and fear. Theo jumped, forcing Logan to fall off of him and onto the floor before he himself tumbled off. Draco and Pansy bumped heads as they sat up, groaning with pain.
Rebekah just took the blanket that the two cats were huddling under and pulled it over her head.
"Come on, Cub," Sirius said, just grinning as he saw the teenagers yawn and rub at their eyes.
"Nooooooo," She just groaned into Emperor's fur.
Sirius sighed, knowing full well that Rebekah wasn't getting up without help.
Carefully finding out where the animals were, Sirius linked his arms under her knees and shoulders. He lifted her before gently chucking her onto the now abandoned sofa. The Witch just curled back up on the sofa, closing her eyes with a sigh.
"If you don't get up," Sirius said, leaning down to whisper into her ear. "I will pour water onto you."
She cracked an eye open. "You wouldn't dare."
He grinned. "I've done it to your mother, I will do it to you."
She considered it before huffing and stretching her arms widely. "I'm up."
"Good," Sirius snickered as he ran a hand into her hair before setting a kiss on her forehead. He turned to the teens. "All of you, go get showered and eat breakfast. We've got a busy day today. We're going to Muggle London."
That perked the teensagers up.
They ran upstairs with enthusiasm, using the single bathroom to get ready.
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To anyone but them, it would be weird to be in the same room as a person showering.
The girls were allowed to shower first as the boys brushed their teeth. They took turns, going in with their towels around their forms before putting the towel on the hook outside the shower. Luckily the shower had an opaque shower curtain that they could open and close.
While the boys took turns in the shower, the girls went into the bedroom one by one to put their underwear and bras on before coming back to the bathroom to brush their teeth. Then the boys did the same.
"Thanks," Logan said as Draco passed him the hair gel. "I need to tame this mane."
"Wax is so much easier," Draco said as he fluffed up his hair and was able to style it properly so the top sat up a little instead of flat against his head. "I've given up with Magical gel, it doesn't give the same effect as Muggle."
"Give me the wax," Rebekah said, taking a bit and warming it up in her hands. She slicked her chin length hair back and up with a brush before letting the top bounce up a little before setting it with hairspray and a spell. "Come here."
Draco bent his head, letting Rebekah run her Magic infused hands over his hair and setting it into place. She did the same for Logan before going back to getting ready herself.
The boys left the bathroom, leaving the girls to put whatever makeup they wanted on.
They all went for simple makeup; mascara, eyeliner, a dash of eyeshadow and lipgloss.
Rebekah went for a feline flick of the wrist for her eyeliner, letting it accent her eyes. Her eyeshadow was silver and white in colour, showing off the dangerous green hue. She finished it with a slightly tinted, soft pink lip gloss.
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"Are you all ready?" Petunia said, rummaging into her purse for something.
"How do we look?"
"Muggle."
Rebekah had asked Sirius to transfigure some of their trousers into jeans because it was not the weather for slacks.
They all wore various shades of blue jeans in various styles. Tracey went full out into comfy mom jeans and a thick sweater while Blaise just wore a pair of dark jeans and a turtleneck. Rebekah pulled on a dark red hoodie with her black jeans and matching red winter boots.
Even Sirius was dressed up more Muggle than usual in his slacks and long chocolate brown coat and grey scarf.
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The snow was thick as Petunia Dursley and Sirius Black tried to get the nine teenagers to stop messing around with the trolleys in the shop. They all had gone food shopping, feeding nine teenagers was no joke especially when adding in three cats and three birds along with a snake. Enyo ate fruit and bits of meat anyway.
Sirius leaned on the trolley, letting Petunia put whatever she wanted or needed into it as he pushed it along at her pace. She grabbed an extra bottle of wine and a case of beer, nodding to herself after counting the number of teens again.
"Are you sure you want nine drunk teenagers?" Sirius asked.
"Rather they drink at home where they can be supervised than let them sneak out," Petunia said, cringing as Tracey and Astoria got into one trolley while Rebekah and Logan got into another. "Try and not crash into anyone please!"
"Woooohoooo," Tracey almost screamed as Theo pushed them along. "You can do better than that!"
"Not as fast as us!" Blaise yelled as he pushed the other trolley faster, getting closer to the end of the isle as they raced.
"They'll just get to bed sooner then. Children, you have ten minutes to get your snacks.!" She yelled at the teens, watching them consider her words.
"Onwards to the isle of crisps and sweets!" Logan almost yelled, standing up in the trolley as Rebekah held him steady and Blaise shoved them along.
"Off to get the coke and pepsi!" Tracey grinned.
"Get me a redbull!" Rebekah yelled at Tracey before they could get away far enough.
"Get me Cheese and onion Walkers!"
"Deal!"
The rest of them were hanging on the edges of the trolleys, helping them push their friends along before quickly lifting their feet and gliding along.
Petunia and Sirius just allowed them to do whatever, within reason. Every time someone gave them a dirty glance for allowing this, they just glared at them and that person backed away.
It was strange to think that Petunia and Sirius were the scariest people Rebekah had ever met. She would rather not be on the receiving end of their disappointed glare.
Anger she could deal with, just not disappointment.
Petunia lowered her voice to speak to Sirius. "I already know what I'm getting them all for Christmas, or Yule, or whatever the holiday is called."
"What do you have in mind?"
"Something to do with their… Animagus forms, is that the word? Yes, well, it's to do with their animal forms."
"They'll love that," Sirius agreed. "Remus and I were wondering if we could spend Christmas day at the Dursley. We some… unsanctioned guests at my home, and Rebekah doesn't like them already."
"The Weasleys?" She prompted before humming in slight disapproval. "Rebekah doesn't speak unkindly about many people. She speaks kindly about them but she doesn't like the way the mother treats her."
"Well, Molly sees Rebekah as a daughter but as a daughter that needs a lot of discipline. Rebekah doesn't like it when people interfere with her life."
"I know. I raised her to be a human above all things. Vernon doesn't like this Magic you all have, he fears it."
"Rightfully so. Magic is dangerous in the wrong hands. Cub has a tendency to lean towards the Darker aspects, though those Darker aspects are just the Old Ways."
"Old Way?"
"The Magic we had before we became civilised, before wands." Sirius said, only speaking when there weren't ears around. "It was easier back then. Magic was instinctual and primal, not as focused as it is now."
Petunia hummed. "I was angry when we found out that my sister was a Witch."
"Why?"
"I hated the fact that perfect little Lily suddenly had all of our parents' attention." She didn't look at him as she put a box of cereal into the trolley. "A gift from God, they used to call her, a miracle. She wasn't perfect but they wanted perfection from her, from both of us. Lily was as human as I was but our parents believed that Magic made her special and forced me to work harder."
"They forced you to try and become your sister. I can understand that." Sirius stated. "My mother didn't approve of the fact that I was a Gryffindor. We Blacks were always Slytherins until I came along. Rebekah's the same actually. All Potters were Gryffindors before her. My brother was the perfect, PureBlood son while I was the rebellious disgrace."
She smiled. "I dyed my hair a bright blue at one point or another, to get my parents' attention. Didn't work."
"Oh, Cub has been thinking of getting a piercing, a septum," Sirius tapped the tip of his nose. "We weren't sure if you'd approve so we've waited for your decision. I am her Magical Guardian but you are her parent."
"She can get whatever she wants done."
"I'll see about her going to a Muggle studio to get it pierced," Sirius picked up a packet of biscuits. "It's more sanitary to get it done Muggle way. I found out the hard way when I got an infection because I went to a local piercer in Diagon Alley."
"Maybe some of the others would like a piercing or two. Maybe not a facial one but maybe an extra earring or two."
"I'll ask."
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That was how Rebekah ended up with her septum pierced with a silver horseshoe.
Pansy got her helix pierced.
Blaise had both of his ears pierced with a small gold hoop in each.
Tracey had her tongue pierced and then pouted when she realised she couldn't speak properly until she got used to it.
Theo and Logan had their left ear pierced in matching blue studs.
Astoria and Daphne went for matching red upper lobe hoops.
Draco had a silver hoop as his rook piercing, knowing he could hide it easier than if he got his lobes done.
They were all in pain.
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