Chapter 1
(Present Time)
It was quite the normal morning for the Lupin-Black family, the small family sitting in their kitchen. When the mail owls arrived during the meal, it caused quite a slight problem for the Wolven Hill household.
James Lupin-Black looks at Remus, "Awww, dad do we have to go to school? I like being a Muggle," the boy pouts. Across the table Solstice's eyes widen and the young witch looks like she is about to pass out.
"Jamie you're an idiot!" she cries out.
Softly tapping his young daughter's head softly, Sirius Black sighed and looked down at his son. The young boy sat at his spot at the table, and pouting away.
"Solstice that wasn't nice," Remus spoke softly, "and James you are not and you never have been a Muggle. The Academy was a wizardry school for younger children, not old enough to attend Hogwarts."
Solstice stuck her tongue out at her older brother and goes back to munching on her toast. Sighing Remus stared at his young daughter. "Solstice what did I tell you about doing that?" he asked.
"Doing what?" the girl cheerfully asked. Looking up at her father's Solstice gave them a bright enough smile, her hazel eyes twinkling a bit.
"Provoking your brother," Remus stated.
"I have a brother?" she asks. "I always thought I had a sister."
Snorting a bit of his laughter back, Sirius tried to give his daughter a stern look but being the joker he is he couldn't. Shaking his head, Sirius picked her coffee back up and looked at Remus. "She's yours."
"Oh thank you very much!" Remus said with a smirk. "Leave me to discipline the little demons…."
"Hey!" James glares at Remus. "I resent that Dad," the raven haired boy crossed his arms and pouts a bit. Solstice looks at her brother, her yellow eyes twinkling a bit.
"Really now?" She says. "I always thought you resembled that."
Growling a bit, the other child glared at his twin as Solstice giggled and ducked from Sirius' mock swat. "Moony what did we do to get twins who are trying to out do each other on everything?" the older Marauder asked, standing up from the table.
"I think it was from all those dung bombs Prongs and you let loose on the Slytherins. Or it could of been the time you turned Severus' hair bright green," Remus replied. Picking up Solstice's plate he stand and walks over to the sink, shaking his head a bit. "And it's not that they out do each other just James sets himself up for those insults quite well," he added. Looking back at the table he smiles a bit at their two kids.
"It's kind of nice though, knowing that at least our pranks will live on," Sirius murmured. Smiling a bit Remus nods and leans against the counter. "So it won't kill anyone if the pranks are mostly pulled on those two, at least Slytherins won't be planning their deaths."
"They wouldn't dare anyway!" Solstice stated, settling her bright eyes on her parents. "Damien and Thyra wouldn't allow it." Snickering a bit James eyes his sister and sticks out his tongue.
"Admitting that your bests friends want to get into Slytherin doesn't leave much hope for you!"
Glaring at him, Solstice lets out a small hissing noise. "Uh oh," Sirius murmured. Clearing his throat he walked to the table and swung Solstice up from the table. "Come on you two, Harry and company will be here soon. Go wash up," Sirius said.
"Is Thyra with them?" Solstice asked, squirming in her father's arms to get comfortable.
"No pet, she's not back in England until Saturday," Remus said. Watching James he points to the stairs. "Come on James you two." Turning his back to the scene in the kitchen, as he starts to wash the dishes, giving Sirius and James the perfect opportunities to stick their tongue out at him. "I can see that Paddy," Remus stated. Paling a bit Sirius dropped Solstice lightly on the stairs and goes to help with the dishes leaving the twins to run upstairs.
Rushing up the stairs ahead of his sister, James went streaking into his room closing the door partially behind him. Sighing Solstice goes walking into the bathroom and turns the faucets on.
"Look a little blue," her reflection states. Looking at herself, her mirror image flips her light chocolate hair over her shoulders. "Something wrong?"
Shaking her head, Solstice starts to splash some water on her face. "Just miss Thyra and Damien," she replied. Picking up her face cloth the young witch starts to scrub her face with it. "Harry's coming over and that only means one thing."
Twisting her face into one of a grimace, her reflection shudders. "Adonis."
"Exactly!" Solstice replies. Grabbing her toothbrush she starts to work on her teeth. "I swear, I must be the only girl from school who didn't think he was a hottie," Solstice muttered out around her toothbrush
"What was that?" Her reflection asks.
Spitting the gunk in her mouth into the sink, she looked up at the mirror. "I said I must be the only girl from school who didn't think he was a hottie."
"What about Thyra?"
"Thy doesn't count," Solstice reminded her reflection. "Since Mr. Snape seems to be having a relationship with Harry, Adonis and Thyra are immune to each other."
"Oh yeah," the reflection said, pulling a brush through her hair. "I forgot about that point." Yawning a bit, the reflection looked around for something. "Is our hair up today?" it asks.
"Yep, it's going to be a hot day again. Rather not have our hair irritating our necks," Solstice replied. Looking up at the mirror, she sees James' reflection enter the picture as her twin enters the bathroom.
"Talking to yourself again?" James asks.
"No you bloody bloke!" the mirror snapped. "She's talking to me."
Sighing Solstice puts her toothbrush down and walks from the room, leaving James with his reflection. "What did I say?" the boy asks, grabbing his toothbrush.
His reflection shrugs and looks at himself. "Beats me, I don't understand the other species." Nodding James continues with his brushing up, humming a song as he goes.
Stepping into her room Solstice walks over to her closet and pulls out a soft cream sun dress, and steps out of her pj's quickly pulling the dress on. Walking over to her bed she picks up her book from her night table. 'Tales of the Souls,' supposedly a number one best seller of the summer, yet so far next to her friends and Father she was the only other person she knew that read it. "Oh well," she whispers, "people don't know good books when they see them."
Walking from her room, she heads back towards the stairs stopping as James zooms by her on his way down the stairs. "James, don't run!" Sirius voice came clearly from the kitchen, as Solstice made her way down the stairs.
Bouncing from the bottom step James zipped into the kitchen and looks at his Dads. "Relax, I won't break anything," he told them.
"I remember hearing that right before you broke those tea cups last week," Remus said. Picking a kettle off the stove he poured the hot liquid into his tea cup.
"Awww Dad," James started, walking over to the fridge and opening it. "Those two times were flukes, I swear on…. Ummmm, well I don't know on what but I swear."
"You don't know nothing new there," A voice from the door drawled out. Laughing the hyper pre-teen spins around and stares at his best friend, leaving the door to the fridge wide open. Shaking his head Remus points his wand at the door, watching it shut carefully.
Making her way to the table she took the chair beside Remus and watched as the boys went running outside and Harry came in. Looking around Solstice watched as her father bit his lip for a moment, probably from saying another insult about Severus.
"Uncle Harry, where is Severus?" Solstice asked Harry, opening her book.
"Sev," Harry stopped for a moment and took a deep breath. "He had to go pick up Thyra," he finished.
Remus looked up at his godson and blinked slowly. "What happened?" Remus asked. Knowing in his mind that this is probably something that Solstice shouldn't be hearing, but knowing she will find out herself in the end anyway.
"Thyra called my cellphone from a muggle neighbors house. I still couldn't believe it she was crying and everything, at first she wasn't much sense," Harry stops for a moment and shakes his head, "Tyrants they are, I know they hate Severus but it's another thing to make your own daughter pay for that hatred…"
"Harry just tell us what happened," Sirius stated.
Solstice looked down at her lap for a moment, the young girl's eyes fogged a bit as she fought back a wave of tears. "Thyra was raped, wasn't she?" she whispered out.
Eyes widening Harry looked down at his young god daughter, shock was written over his face and slowly he nodded. "Yes Solstice, Kenneth raped Thyra in a drunken rage or that's what the neighbors told Severus."
Remus turned quickly in his chair and wrapped his arms around his young daughter, allowing the child to press her face into his throat. Stroking her hair back, Remus shook his head and murmured something to Solstice. Nodding slowly the girl slid from her Daddy's arms, leaving the kitchen, her foot steps being heard as she went up the stairs.
"What's going to happen?" Sirius asked, a little appalled from what he just heard.
"Severus is suing them for full custody of Thyra, she'll only be allowed to see Cynthia on weekends and from Hogwarts or Severus' side," Harry replied. "There is nothing much more that we can do, of course get her help if she needs it but next to that it's up to her to let us know what she needs."
Nodding Remus looked at Sirius. "Solstice will probably want to spend all her free time with her before school starts, better write Draco and tell Damien Harry," he said.
Nodding a bit Harry leans his head back on the wall. "I think they already know, Lucius was talking to Sev when the call came in last night. I'm sure by now Damien knows and is probably thinking on the same lines as Sol," Harry answered. Shaking his head he moves to a chair and sits down. "I know his divorce was harder than Ginny's and mine, but I never thought Cynthia would allow that to happen."
"Cynthia has more mental problems that a bloody Death Eater!" Sirius growled out. "By Merlin's beard she makes Peter seem sane, talking to herself like that acting like she's fortune teller. She's worse that Trewlaney."
"Siri, calm down," Remus whispered. "The boys will hear you and Solstice doesn't need to hear this right now."
Freezing a bit, Sirius looked at Remus. "Her nightmare last night?" he asked. The only reply he got from Remy was the quick nod of his head and a look that made Sirius curse. Shaking his head Sirius stared out into the garden where the boys had their heads stuck together, probably planning a new prank.
Harry gives a small smile and looks at his god father. "It could be worse," he murmured.
"Oh how?" Sirius asked, a little sarcasm in his voice.
The green eye hero looked at Sirius and gives a smirk. "Voldie could be back," he replied. Rolling his eyes Remus shakes his head, while Sirius gave a short snicker.
"Got me there Harry, got me there."
Remus watched his mate and godson talk, his hand going to the wishing stone he still wore around his neck. The same stone that 10 years ago brought them the joy of the twins into Sirius' and his life. Still in perfect condition and giving off its opal glow, the stone never once left his throat. Though for a weird reason Remus was getting a distinct feeling now that he should get rid of the stone, though for what reason he never knew but he never heeded the warning.
That evening, the house was filled with laughter from the kitchen as the parents minus Severus were sharing lame jokes and praising the boys for their prank. Even if it did back fire in their faces, Remus is a hard person to pull a prank on. Solstice came walking down into the kitchen a letter in her hand. "James you got mail," she called. Quickly her twin brother leapt up and pounced the letter, Solstice having enough sense to drop it as he turned around.
Reading it quickly James looks at his fathers. "Dad can Jess spend the night with Adonis and me?" he asked.
"Adonis and I, James," Remus spoke out earning a raspberry from his son.
Looking at Remus, Sirius shrugged and leaned back in his chair. "I see no problem with it as long as you three don't try play on Solstice and her friends," Sirius stated. Nodding Remus looked at his son.
James made a face and looked at his sister. "Damien is coming?" he whined.
"Of course," Solstice replied walking out of the kitchen, "and if you three bother us you're sorely going to regret it."
Making another face James runs into the living room, with Adonis on his heels. A quick letter to their friend Jessie was in order, the only female the boys possibly put up with well next to Cynthia Weasley but that is a whole other story.
"To bad Chris and Cynthia can't come," Adonis stated.
Nodding James writes down the note to get Jess over here and sends his dad's off down the street. "But they're not back from France until tomorrow or the day after," James pointed out. "Besides with them here we would surely do something that my fathers would kill us for."
Smiling Adonis nodded and looked up at the stairs where Solstice was probably sitting waiting for either Snape and Thyra to arrive or Damien. "I know," he started, "that would be the whole entire bloody point."
Rolling his eyes, James heads back to the kitchen and looks at Adonis. "Yeah but I don't want to know what Solstice and those two can learn from watching the adults all the time. For all we know by now all three of them can cast the Unforgivable Curses," James said. Adonis shrugged his shoulders and followed behind James.
"But I think it still would be worth it."
"Well I don't."
"Well than, maybe Jessie will she at least likes to play pranks."
"Not on those three."
"Good point."
Solstice listened as the voices got quieter as the two Marauders walked into the kitchen again. Flicking her braid back over her shoulder, she moved to sit on the stairs again. Her soft misty sunshine eyes watching the door waiting for any sign of a car or broom. Deciding that she rather not be inside though, the young girl slid from her spot on the steps and walked outside.
The Lupin-Black's lived in a good enough part of a wizarding community. Nothing as big as Malfoy and Snape Manor but it was a nice place, lots of wizard families lived around them and not much Muggles. In all her life Solstice had only seen one Muggle family in Phoenix Crescent and that was because the wife was a Muggle-born who fell in love with a shoes salesmen. Don't get her wrong Solstice isn't racist with Muggles or anything but just hearing enough stories of the Dursley's was enough to turn any witch or wizard against them. They didn't understand magic and probably never would.
Walking over to her swing Solstice sat down and stared down either part of the street with each arc she made. The soft green leaves of the tree, twitched a bit as there was a swooshing sound, looking up Solstice could see a broom descending into the backyard. Forgetting about her Damien patrol, the young Black jumped off the swing and tailed it to the back garden and to her best friend.
"Thyra!" She screamed and threw herself into the other girl's arms. Smiling softly she pecks her friend's cheek and holds her tightly.
"Hi Solstice," Thyra whispered softly. Returning the hug just as tight the raven haired girl settled her dark sapphire eyes on James. "Have a staring problem Black?" she asked sarcastically.
"Yeah I bloody swear you and my sister are lesbos!" he replied.
Solstice's head shot up and she glared at her brother. "Go to bloody hell James, what did Daddy tell you?"
"She started it!"
"You were staring at me!" Thyra snapped.
"Thyra, James, Solstice, enough is enough," Snape said. "Why don't you girls go wait for Damien in the front," he said softly. Looking at his daughter with a sad expression, the potion master shooed the girls from the back garden back into the front.
James blinks a bit and looks at Adonis. "Must have been bad what happened to her, usually he lets out go at it."
"They haven't told me what's wrong yet," Adonis replied. "But with the way everyone else is acting, I'm thinking it's something pretty bad."
As the evening progressed it was pretty quiet for most the part. Thyra, Damien and Solstice spent all the time in Solstice's room. The three of them talking about what school house they want to get in and if they're going to try out for Quidditch.
"I think Damien and you should have a go," Thyra stated. Sitting on her perch on her best friend's bed the young Snape sat brushing out her shoulder length raven hair. "Damien is good at chasing things and you have a good throwing arm Solstice."
Shrugging the light chocolate haired girl, shook her head. "I'm not going to school to play a sport, I'm going there to learn. Besides James and Adonis are trying out, let them get all the glory I don't care."
"I'll have a go," Damien put in, his silver eyes lighting up. "Might be fun to kick in those Weasley's butts in with something other than school work."
Laughing a bit, Solstice fell backwards onto her carpeted floor. Thyra rolled her eyes and put her brush down. "You're as bad as your father Malfoy," she pointed out.
"Awww, thanks Thyra that means a lot it really does," Damien joked.
Rolling her eyes again Thyra slid from the bed to join her other two friends on the floor. "I hope we all get Slytherin, it's going to be a real bloody pain if we get separated."
"I know!" Solstice added. "We've always been together, since I can always remember," she looked at Damien.
"I can see Thyra getting in, she's a Snape. Me, well of course I'm a Malfoy but Sol here well that's a pretty slim chance. Both her parents have been Gryffindors and their parents too," Damien pointed out.
"Don't remind me!" the hazel eye girl stated. "I don't want to be stuck with Adonis and James all through Hogwarts and I don't want to be enemies with you two cause we're in rival houses."
"Nothing will ever stop us from being friends Solstice," Thyra looked up at her two friends. "We'll always be there for each other, not even a bloody all hat can ever change that," she finished.
"Thy's right!" Damien said. "Besides some of us need to keep a group of Marauder's in line, because I have a very good idea your dad isn't going to put his foot down with their pranks."
"He might not, but my dad will," Thy pointed out.
Smiling Solstice looked at her two friends and relaxed a bit. Knowing that her friends felt the same way she did was a real help, she had a good feeling in her heart that everything was going to be okay.
"You said what to them?!?" Jessica Starshine demanded to her friend. The emerald eye girl was rolling around on the ground laughing so hard.
"I told them I liked being a Muggle," James replied. Watching with laughter as Adonis and Jessie tried to keep a hold of themselves but it wasn't working. The two other kids could just stop laughing at James' points in life, never quite understanding his weird sense of humans.
"You James are a few blocks short of a full castle," Jessie said, trying to sit up.
"No…that's being to nice," Adonis stated. "He is a full bloody Marauder Jessie, he completely belongs in a bloody zoo!" the pre-teen howled with laughter. Falling backwards again, Jessie and Adonis were set in a new fit of giggles. Trying his best to keep a straight face and not join his friends on the ground, James soon found he was loosing a great battle to keep his face straight.
"Now be serious you two we have serious business to discuss," James managed to get out without laughing.
"Like what?" Adonis asked. Looking up at him, the young freckled face, Harry look alike was bright red from all his laughing.
"What are we going to do at Hogwarts?" James asked.
"That's easy. Pull pranks," Adonis answered.
"Get detentions and join ranks with Peeves," Jessie added.
"Play Quidditch," James reminded his two friends.
"Damn it's going to be a fun seven years," Adonis said.
"Bloody hell yeah!" Jess stated sitting up, for a change she actually looked serious. "Hogwarts doesn't know what is coming to them."
"The Marauders, of course but we're going to be worse than our parents. We will pull the greatest pranks ever!"
"To Hogwarts," Adonis cried out.
"To Hogwarts!" Jessie and James echoed.
Standing outside the door watching the three, Sirius Black smirked. With those three plus Ron's twins going to the school, Hogwarts didn't stand much of a chance to begin with. He felt sorry for the Professors, ever so sorry.
(Present Time)
It was quite the normal morning for the Lupin-Black family, the small family sitting in their kitchen. When the mail owls arrived during the meal, it caused quite a slight problem for the Wolven Hill household.
James Lupin-Black looks at Remus, "Awww, dad do we have to go to school? I like being a Muggle," the boy pouts. Across the table Solstice's eyes widen and the young witch looks like she is about to pass out.
"Jamie you're an idiot!" she cries out.
Softly tapping his young daughter's head softly, Sirius Black sighed and looked down at his son. The young boy sat at his spot at the table, and pouting away.
"Solstice that wasn't nice," Remus spoke softly, "and James you are not and you never have been a Muggle. The Academy was a wizardry school for younger children, not old enough to attend Hogwarts."
Solstice stuck her tongue out at her older brother and goes back to munching on her toast. Sighing Remus stared at his young daughter. "Solstice what did I tell you about doing that?" he asked.
"Doing what?" the girl cheerfully asked. Looking up at her father's Solstice gave them a bright enough smile, her hazel eyes twinkling a bit.
"Provoking your brother," Remus stated.
"I have a brother?" she asks. "I always thought I had a sister."
Snorting a bit of his laughter back, Sirius tried to give his daughter a stern look but being the joker he is he couldn't. Shaking his head, Sirius picked her coffee back up and looked at Remus. "She's yours."
"Oh thank you very much!" Remus said with a smirk. "Leave me to discipline the little demons…."
"Hey!" James glares at Remus. "I resent that Dad," the raven haired boy crossed his arms and pouts a bit. Solstice looks at her brother, her yellow eyes twinkling a bit.
"Really now?" She says. "I always thought you resembled that."
Growling a bit, the other child glared at his twin as Solstice giggled and ducked from Sirius' mock swat. "Moony what did we do to get twins who are trying to out do each other on everything?" the older Marauder asked, standing up from the table.
"I think it was from all those dung bombs Prongs and you let loose on the Slytherins. Or it could of been the time you turned Severus' hair bright green," Remus replied. Picking up Solstice's plate he stand and walks over to the sink, shaking his head a bit. "And it's not that they out do each other just James sets himself up for those insults quite well," he added. Looking back at the table he smiles a bit at their two kids.
"It's kind of nice though, knowing that at least our pranks will live on," Sirius murmured. Smiling a bit Remus nods and leans against the counter. "So it won't kill anyone if the pranks are mostly pulled on those two, at least Slytherins won't be planning their deaths."
"They wouldn't dare anyway!" Solstice stated, settling her bright eyes on her parents. "Damien and Thyra wouldn't allow it." Snickering a bit James eyes his sister and sticks out his tongue.
"Admitting that your bests friends want to get into Slytherin doesn't leave much hope for you!"
Glaring at him, Solstice lets out a small hissing noise. "Uh oh," Sirius murmured. Clearing his throat he walked to the table and swung Solstice up from the table. "Come on you two, Harry and company will be here soon. Go wash up," Sirius said.
"Is Thyra with them?" Solstice asked, squirming in her father's arms to get comfortable.
"No pet, she's not back in England until Saturday," Remus said. Watching James he points to the stairs. "Come on James you two." Turning his back to the scene in the kitchen, as he starts to wash the dishes, giving Sirius and James the perfect opportunities to stick their tongue out at him. "I can see that Paddy," Remus stated. Paling a bit Sirius dropped Solstice lightly on the stairs and goes to help with the dishes leaving the twins to run upstairs.
Rushing up the stairs ahead of his sister, James went streaking into his room closing the door partially behind him. Sighing Solstice goes walking into the bathroom and turns the faucets on.
"Look a little blue," her reflection states. Looking at herself, her mirror image flips her light chocolate hair over her shoulders. "Something wrong?"
Shaking her head, Solstice starts to splash some water on her face. "Just miss Thyra and Damien," she replied. Picking up her face cloth the young witch starts to scrub her face with it. "Harry's coming over and that only means one thing."
Twisting her face into one of a grimace, her reflection shudders. "Adonis."
"Exactly!" Solstice replies. Grabbing her toothbrush she starts to work on her teeth. "I swear, I must be the only girl from school who didn't think he was a hottie," Solstice muttered out around her toothbrush
"What was that?" Her reflection asks.
Spitting the gunk in her mouth into the sink, she looked up at the mirror. "I said I must be the only girl from school who didn't think he was a hottie."
"What about Thyra?"
"Thy doesn't count," Solstice reminded her reflection. "Since Mr. Snape seems to be having a relationship with Harry, Adonis and Thyra are immune to each other."
"Oh yeah," the reflection said, pulling a brush through her hair. "I forgot about that point." Yawning a bit, the reflection looked around for something. "Is our hair up today?" it asks.
"Yep, it's going to be a hot day again. Rather not have our hair irritating our necks," Solstice replied. Looking up at the mirror, she sees James' reflection enter the picture as her twin enters the bathroom.
"Talking to yourself again?" James asks.
"No you bloody bloke!" the mirror snapped. "She's talking to me."
Sighing Solstice puts her toothbrush down and walks from the room, leaving James with his reflection. "What did I say?" the boy asks, grabbing his toothbrush.
His reflection shrugs and looks at himself. "Beats me, I don't understand the other species." Nodding James continues with his brushing up, humming a song as he goes.
Stepping into her room Solstice walks over to her closet and pulls out a soft cream sun dress, and steps out of her pj's quickly pulling the dress on. Walking over to her bed she picks up her book from her night table. 'Tales of the Souls,' supposedly a number one best seller of the summer, yet so far next to her friends and Father she was the only other person she knew that read it. "Oh well," she whispers, "people don't know good books when they see them."
Walking from her room, she heads back towards the stairs stopping as James zooms by her on his way down the stairs. "James, don't run!" Sirius voice came clearly from the kitchen, as Solstice made her way down the stairs.
Bouncing from the bottom step James zipped into the kitchen and looks at his Dads. "Relax, I won't break anything," he told them.
"I remember hearing that right before you broke those tea cups last week," Remus said. Picking a kettle off the stove he poured the hot liquid into his tea cup.
"Awww Dad," James started, walking over to the fridge and opening it. "Those two times were flukes, I swear on…. Ummmm, well I don't know on what but I swear."
"You don't know nothing new there," A voice from the door drawled out. Laughing the hyper pre-teen spins around and stares at his best friend, leaving the door to the fridge wide open. Shaking his head Remus points his wand at the door, watching it shut carefully.
Making her way to the table she took the chair beside Remus and watched as the boys went running outside and Harry came in. Looking around Solstice watched as her father bit his lip for a moment, probably from saying another insult about Severus.
"Uncle Harry, where is Severus?" Solstice asked Harry, opening her book.
"Sev," Harry stopped for a moment and took a deep breath. "He had to go pick up Thyra," he finished.
Remus looked up at his godson and blinked slowly. "What happened?" Remus asked. Knowing in his mind that this is probably something that Solstice shouldn't be hearing, but knowing she will find out herself in the end anyway.
"Thyra called my cellphone from a muggle neighbors house. I still couldn't believe it she was crying and everything, at first she wasn't much sense," Harry stops for a moment and shakes his head, "Tyrants they are, I know they hate Severus but it's another thing to make your own daughter pay for that hatred…"
"Harry just tell us what happened," Sirius stated.
Solstice looked down at her lap for a moment, the young girl's eyes fogged a bit as she fought back a wave of tears. "Thyra was raped, wasn't she?" she whispered out.
Eyes widening Harry looked down at his young god daughter, shock was written over his face and slowly he nodded. "Yes Solstice, Kenneth raped Thyra in a drunken rage or that's what the neighbors told Severus."
Remus turned quickly in his chair and wrapped his arms around his young daughter, allowing the child to press her face into his throat. Stroking her hair back, Remus shook his head and murmured something to Solstice. Nodding slowly the girl slid from her Daddy's arms, leaving the kitchen, her foot steps being heard as she went up the stairs.
"What's going to happen?" Sirius asked, a little appalled from what he just heard.
"Severus is suing them for full custody of Thyra, she'll only be allowed to see Cynthia on weekends and from Hogwarts or Severus' side," Harry replied. "There is nothing much more that we can do, of course get her help if she needs it but next to that it's up to her to let us know what she needs."
Nodding Remus looked at Sirius. "Solstice will probably want to spend all her free time with her before school starts, better write Draco and tell Damien Harry," he said.
Nodding a bit Harry leans his head back on the wall. "I think they already know, Lucius was talking to Sev when the call came in last night. I'm sure by now Damien knows and is probably thinking on the same lines as Sol," Harry answered. Shaking his head he moves to a chair and sits down. "I know his divorce was harder than Ginny's and mine, but I never thought Cynthia would allow that to happen."
"Cynthia has more mental problems that a bloody Death Eater!" Sirius growled out. "By Merlin's beard she makes Peter seem sane, talking to herself like that acting like she's fortune teller. She's worse that Trewlaney."
"Siri, calm down," Remus whispered. "The boys will hear you and Solstice doesn't need to hear this right now."
Freezing a bit, Sirius looked at Remus. "Her nightmare last night?" he asked. The only reply he got from Remy was the quick nod of his head and a look that made Sirius curse. Shaking his head Sirius stared out into the garden where the boys had their heads stuck together, probably planning a new prank.
Harry gives a small smile and looks at his god father. "It could be worse," he murmured.
"Oh how?" Sirius asked, a little sarcasm in his voice.
The green eye hero looked at Sirius and gives a smirk. "Voldie could be back," he replied. Rolling his eyes Remus shakes his head, while Sirius gave a short snicker.
"Got me there Harry, got me there."
Remus watched his mate and godson talk, his hand going to the wishing stone he still wore around his neck. The same stone that 10 years ago brought them the joy of the twins into Sirius' and his life. Still in perfect condition and giving off its opal glow, the stone never once left his throat. Though for a weird reason Remus was getting a distinct feeling now that he should get rid of the stone, though for what reason he never knew but he never heeded the warning.
That evening, the house was filled with laughter from the kitchen as the parents minus Severus were sharing lame jokes and praising the boys for their prank. Even if it did back fire in their faces, Remus is a hard person to pull a prank on. Solstice came walking down into the kitchen a letter in her hand. "James you got mail," she called. Quickly her twin brother leapt up and pounced the letter, Solstice having enough sense to drop it as he turned around.
Reading it quickly James looks at his fathers. "Dad can Jess spend the night with Adonis and me?" he asked.
"Adonis and I, James," Remus spoke out earning a raspberry from his son.
Looking at Remus, Sirius shrugged and leaned back in his chair. "I see no problem with it as long as you three don't try play on Solstice and her friends," Sirius stated. Nodding Remus looked at his son.
James made a face and looked at his sister. "Damien is coming?" he whined.
"Of course," Solstice replied walking out of the kitchen, "and if you three bother us you're sorely going to regret it."
Making another face James runs into the living room, with Adonis on his heels. A quick letter to their friend Jessie was in order, the only female the boys possibly put up with well next to Cynthia Weasley but that is a whole other story.
"To bad Chris and Cynthia can't come," Adonis stated.
Nodding James writes down the note to get Jess over here and sends his dad's off down the street. "But they're not back from France until tomorrow or the day after," James pointed out. "Besides with them here we would surely do something that my fathers would kill us for."
Smiling Adonis nodded and looked up at the stairs where Solstice was probably sitting waiting for either Snape and Thyra to arrive or Damien. "I know," he started, "that would be the whole entire bloody point."
Rolling his eyes, James heads back to the kitchen and looks at Adonis. "Yeah but I don't want to know what Solstice and those two can learn from watching the adults all the time. For all we know by now all three of them can cast the Unforgivable Curses," James said. Adonis shrugged his shoulders and followed behind James.
"But I think it still would be worth it."
"Well I don't."
"Well than, maybe Jessie will she at least likes to play pranks."
"Not on those three."
"Good point."
Solstice listened as the voices got quieter as the two Marauders walked into the kitchen again. Flicking her braid back over her shoulder, she moved to sit on the stairs again. Her soft misty sunshine eyes watching the door waiting for any sign of a car or broom. Deciding that she rather not be inside though, the young girl slid from her spot on the steps and walked outside.
The Lupin-Black's lived in a good enough part of a wizarding community. Nothing as big as Malfoy and Snape Manor but it was a nice place, lots of wizard families lived around them and not much Muggles. In all her life Solstice had only seen one Muggle family in Phoenix Crescent and that was because the wife was a Muggle-born who fell in love with a shoes salesmen. Don't get her wrong Solstice isn't racist with Muggles or anything but just hearing enough stories of the Dursley's was enough to turn any witch or wizard against them. They didn't understand magic and probably never would.
Walking over to her swing Solstice sat down and stared down either part of the street with each arc she made. The soft green leaves of the tree, twitched a bit as there was a swooshing sound, looking up Solstice could see a broom descending into the backyard. Forgetting about her Damien patrol, the young Black jumped off the swing and tailed it to the back garden and to her best friend.
"Thyra!" She screamed and threw herself into the other girl's arms. Smiling softly she pecks her friend's cheek and holds her tightly.
"Hi Solstice," Thyra whispered softly. Returning the hug just as tight the raven haired girl settled her dark sapphire eyes on James. "Have a staring problem Black?" she asked sarcastically.
"Yeah I bloody swear you and my sister are lesbos!" he replied.
Solstice's head shot up and she glared at her brother. "Go to bloody hell James, what did Daddy tell you?"
"She started it!"
"You were staring at me!" Thyra snapped.
"Thyra, James, Solstice, enough is enough," Snape said. "Why don't you girls go wait for Damien in the front," he said softly. Looking at his daughter with a sad expression, the potion master shooed the girls from the back garden back into the front.
James blinks a bit and looks at Adonis. "Must have been bad what happened to her, usually he lets out go at it."
"They haven't told me what's wrong yet," Adonis replied. "But with the way everyone else is acting, I'm thinking it's something pretty bad."
As the evening progressed it was pretty quiet for most the part. Thyra, Damien and Solstice spent all the time in Solstice's room. The three of them talking about what school house they want to get in and if they're going to try out for Quidditch.
"I think Damien and you should have a go," Thyra stated. Sitting on her perch on her best friend's bed the young Snape sat brushing out her shoulder length raven hair. "Damien is good at chasing things and you have a good throwing arm Solstice."
Shrugging the light chocolate haired girl, shook her head. "I'm not going to school to play a sport, I'm going there to learn. Besides James and Adonis are trying out, let them get all the glory I don't care."
"I'll have a go," Damien put in, his silver eyes lighting up. "Might be fun to kick in those Weasley's butts in with something other than school work."
Laughing a bit, Solstice fell backwards onto her carpeted floor. Thyra rolled her eyes and put her brush down. "You're as bad as your father Malfoy," she pointed out.
"Awww, thanks Thyra that means a lot it really does," Damien joked.
Rolling her eyes again Thyra slid from the bed to join her other two friends on the floor. "I hope we all get Slytherin, it's going to be a real bloody pain if we get separated."
"I know!" Solstice added. "We've always been together, since I can always remember," she looked at Damien.
"I can see Thyra getting in, she's a Snape. Me, well of course I'm a Malfoy but Sol here well that's a pretty slim chance. Both her parents have been Gryffindors and their parents too," Damien pointed out.
"Don't remind me!" the hazel eye girl stated. "I don't want to be stuck with Adonis and James all through Hogwarts and I don't want to be enemies with you two cause we're in rival houses."
"Nothing will ever stop us from being friends Solstice," Thyra looked up at her two friends. "We'll always be there for each other, not even a bloody all hat can ever change that," she finished.
"Thy's right!" Damien said. "Besides some of us need to keep a group of Marauder's in line, because I have a very good idea your dad isn't going to put his foot down with their pranks."
"He might not, but my dad will," Thy pointed out.
Smiling Solstice looked at her two friends and relaxed a bit. Knowing that her friends felt the same way she did was a real help, she had a good feeling in her heart that everything was going to be okay.
"You said what to them?!?" Jessica Starshine demanded to her friend. The emerald eye girl was rolling around on the ground laughing so hard.
"I told them I liked being a Muggle," James replied. Watching with laughter as Adonis and Jessie tried to keep a hold of themselves but it wasn't working. The two other kids could just stop laughing at James' points in life, never quite understanding his weird sense of humans.
"You James are a few blocks short of a full castle," Jessie said, trying to sit up.
"No…that's being to nice," Adonis stated. "He is a full bloody Marauder Jessie, he completely belongs in a bloody zoo!" the pre-teen howled with laughter. Falling backwards again, Jessie and Adonis were set in a new fit of giggles. Trying his best to keep a straight face and not join his friends on the ground, James soon found he was loosing a great battle to keep his face straight.
"Now be serious you two we have serious business to discuss," James managed to get out without laughing.
"Like what?" Adonis asked. Looking up at him, the young freckled face, Harry look alike was bright red from all his laughing.
"What are we going to do at Hogwarts?" James asked.
"That's easy. Pull pranks," Adonis answered.
"Get detentions and join ranks with Peeves," Jessie added.
"Play Quidditch," James reminded his two friends.
"Damn it's going to be a fun seven years," Adonis said.
"Bloody hell yeah!" Jess stated sitting up, for a change she actually looked serious. "Hogwarts doesn't know what is coming to them."
"The Marauders, of course but we're going to be worse than our parents. We will pull the greatest pranks ever!"
"To Hogwarts," Adonis cried out.
"To Hogwarts!" Jessie and James echoed.
Standing outside the door watching the three, Sirius Black smirked. With those three plus Ron's twins going to the school, Hogwarts didn't stand much of a chance to begin with. He felt sorry for the Professors, ever so sorry.
