Sweet Misery
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Sirius sat at the dining room table, poking at the undercooked eggs his mother had the house elf make for him because she was just too busy (busy meaning lazy) to cook for her own children. The house elf would never get anything cooked to the way any of the Blacks wanted, with the exception of Sirius's mother, whom Kreacher would do anything for, and mum's favourite, Regulus.
Liam walked into the dining room and saw Sirius poking at the eggs.
"Uncooked eggs again?" Liam asked.
"Maybe if you're lucky you'll get overcooked eggs," replied Sirius.
"I'd prefer not to risk it, some toast should be just fine." A plate of toast appeared on the table, all slices burnt to a crisp. Liam picked up a piece and looked at it with disgust. "Mmm, condensed ashes, my favourite."
"Morning!" Gwynn, Sirius's twin sister, said cheerfully.
"Toast?" Liam asked holding the plate up too her.
"Why are you so happy?" Sirius asked.
"No thank you," she replied, poking at the toast. "Do I need a reason to be in a good mood?"
"Yes," said Sirius and Liam.
"Okay then, it just feels like it's going to be a good day," Gwynn said.
"Whatever you say," said Sirius as Regulus entered the dining room.
"ALL MIGHTY REGULUS!" Liam shouted, and the three of them dropped to the ground and began to grovel at his feet.
"What are you doing?" Regulus asked.
"Bowing before you, oh mighty favourite of Mum's!" said Sirius.
"Stop it! Get up!" he said, stepping over Gwynn.
"The mighty Regulus has told us to get up!" Gwynn said, pretending to be shocked. "Such an honor has never been bestowed upon us in the past!"
"I mean it! Stop!" Regulus snapped. Gwynn, Sirius, and Liam all got up off the dining room floor and sat at the table. Liam began munching on his burnt toast while Sirius continued to push the runny eggs around the plate. Kreacher ran out of the kitchen with a plate of perfectly cooked eggs and bacon for Regulus. Gwynn stopped the house elf.
"I'd like a really burnt English muffin, Kreacher," Gwynn said. "By burnt I mean so burnt that you can't even recognize that it's an English muffin. I want it to crumble to bits when I touch it, okay?"
"Yes, young mistress," Kreacher replied before running into the kitchen, mumbling something under his breath. Gwynn sat back in her chair and waited. A moment later, a plate of lightly toasted English muffins appeared before her.
"Wow, it actually worked," Gwynn said before munching on a half of the English muffin.
"What were you expecting?" Liam asked.
"I actually thought he was going to listen too me," Gwynn said.
"Well, now we know how to get what we want," Sirius said, stealing the other half of Gwynn's English muffin.
"Though we don't know how long it will last," Liam said.
"You're lucky though, you don't have to live here that much longer," Gwynn said. "Once Kreacher finds out what we're up to, we'll have to live with the horrible food we're fed."
"It's not that bad," Regulus said, finishing his breakfast.
"That's because you're Mum's favourite, and Kreacher would do anything for Mum, and Mum wants you to be treated exceptionally," said Sirius.
"That's not true," Regulus said. Regulus was about to say something else, but was cut off by the arrival of the morning post. A large brown barn owl dropped three letters in the middle of the table and another owl landed on Liam's shoulder dropping the Daily Prophet on the plate of half-eaten toast and holding out it's leg with a pouch on it waiting for it's payment. Liam fished a few knuts out of his pocket and dropped them into the pouch. The owl flew out through the window. Liam grabbed the letters in the middle of the table. He tossed one to Sirius, one to Gwynn, and kept the other for himself.
"Hogwarts letters," Liam said.
"Knew I'd get in," Gwynn said tearing open her letter. "You, Sirius, are a bit more of a surprise."
"Oh shut up," he said. "I'm going to owl Remus and see if he got his letter yet."
"He sent an owl yesterday," Gwynn said, reading her letter. "He said he didn't get in and that must mean he's a squib. Sorry Siri, but it looks like he won't be joining us at Hogwarts."
"What? No way! Remus can't be a squib!" Sirius said.
"I'm sorry, but it's true." Gwynn sighed and folded up her letter. "I'm sorry Sirius, you'll just have to suffer pulling pranks without Remus. I'm sure you'll find someone to take his place." Sirius stared at her in a mix of shock and confusion. Gwynn laughed. "I can't believe you fell for it! You are unbelievable."
"Why didn't I notice the flaws in the story?" Sirius asked, shaking his head. "Remus would've sent that letter to me!"
"Hey, he's my friend too. Anyway, Remus told us he'd gotten his letter already. You have a horrible memory, dear brother of mine."
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Lauren Fonseca walked down the stairs to the kitchen and began digging through the pantry for something that looked appetizing. After finding nothing but assortments of pastas, canned vegetables, and horrible tasting health food her mother insisted on buying, she settled for a glass of milk. After sticking the empty glass in the sink, she left the kitchen running into a girl a few years younger than her, but acted as if she didn't notice.
"Sorry I got in your way," said the girl sarcastically. Lauren kept walking acting as if she had not heard her. The girl rolled her eyes, and said in a mocking tone. "No, no, Loni, I'm sorry. I was too busy wrapped up in my perfect universe consisting only of me to notice you. Pardon me while I wait for the world to follow my every command."
"SHUT UP!" Lauren screamed at her.
"You deserved it," replied Loni. Lauren rolled her eyes and stepped out to the back yard. She walked straight to a tall oak tree where a tree house sat in the higher branches. She looked up at the tree house, debating whether or not to go up or not. She placed a hand on the ladder when her mother walked outside.
"Lauren, could you at least try and be nice to Loni?" Mrs. Fonseca asked.
"Has my letter come yet?" Lauren asked, changing the subject.
"No, but," Mrs. Fonseca paused, and put a hand to her forehead and set the other on Lauren's shoulder, "my Inner Eye shows my that it will be arriving very soon!"
"Stop with the divination stuff," Lauren said. "Divination is a bunch of codswollop."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah." At that moment an owl swooped down dropping a letter on the ground. Lauren picked it up and squealed with delight. "It's my letter!"
"I told you."
"Coincidence. It's just a coincidence, Mum."
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James Potter laid in his bed fast asleep; all the covers kicked off the bed from the summer's heat. It was somewhere close to ten-thirty when his owl came flying in from its morning flight and was eager to be fed. The owl nipped at James' ear to wake him up. James swatted at the owl.
"Go away, Apollo…" he mumbled and fell back asleep. Apollo hooted indignantly and continued to nip at James. "Stop." After being swatted at after every attempt to wake James up, Apollo landed on James' back and began lightly digging his claws in.
"Okay!" James said. "I'm up!" Apollo hooted happily and perched on James' shoulder when he sat up.
"Why can't you wait till I'm up?" James asked the owl, rubbing his eyes. The owl just blinked in reply. James shook his head and walked down to the dining room where a plate of toast was left along with a note and the mail. James gave Apollo a bit of toast and picked up the note. Once again his parents were out for the weekend. He moaned when they said his grandmother Ruth would be arriving shortly to watch after him. He crumbled the note and tossed it over his shoulder. He picked up the pile of letters and flipped through the envelopes. Bill, bill, junk, a letter from his aunt, a letter from Hogwarts, another bill… James stopped and went back to the Hogwarts letter.
"About time!" he said after reading the contents. "I thought it'd never come!"
A loud pop came from the den. James groaned inwardly knowing his grandmother had just apparated in.
"Jamie boy!" she announced. "Granny Ruth is here!" James rolled his eyes. She still thought of him as the good little seven-year-old that he used to be. James put on a fake smile and ran to the den.
"Granny Ruth!" he said giving her a hug.
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It was an average day at the Pettigrew household. Peter, clumsy as ever, had somehow managed to knock every glass out of the cabinet, just trying to get one.
"Peter!" his mother shouted, running into the kitchen upon hearing the multiple crashes. She pulled out her wand. "Reparo!" In an instant, all the glasses had repaired themselves. With a flick of her wand, the glasses flew back into the cabinet.
"S-s-sorry M-mum," Peter stammered, wringing his hands. His mother shook her head and handed him a glass.
"Do you need anything else Peter?" she asked. "I don't want any more broken dishes."
"N-no, I-I g-g-got-t th-the o-other th-things d-down j-j-just-t f-fine," he replied.
"Okay," she said, leaving.
Peter slumped down in a chair, looking kind of pathetic. He had always been a short, stuttering klutz. He sighed stood up to leave the kitchen, fearing he'd break something else, when and owl flew in, tumbling onto the table knocking everything off.
"PETER!" his mother shouted from somewhere in the house.
"I-i-it w-w-wasn't-t m-me!" He shouted back.
"Peter Matthew Pettigrew, you'd better not be lying to me!" she said. Peter could hear her coming down the corridor. The owl ruffled its feathers and started to clean off its wings. Peter's mother walked into the kitchen and saw the owl. She took the letter from the owl and it flew off. "Oh my…" She said as she looked at the letter in her hand.
"W-w-what is it-t?" Peter asked. She handed Peter the letter. He tore it open immediately. "I-I-I g-got-t in?" Peter said in surprise.
"Peter, I'm so proud of you!" his mother shouted hugging him so tight he could hardly breath. "Your father is going to be so surprised! We were so scared you wouldn't get in!"
"Y-y-you w-w-were?"
"Oh I've got to go call your Father's mother! I can't wait to tell her you got in! She was so sure you weren't a wizard! Said you didn't have an ounce of magic in you, she did! I've got to tell her she's wrong!" She gave Peter a kiss on the cheek before running to the fireplace. Peter just blinked still holding on to the letter, taking in all that had happened. Mother proud of him, Hogwarts, wizard, him, accepted… Peter grinned and gave a whoop of excitement.
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Remus Lupin sat in the back of his father's car listening to his parents talk over the radio. The drive was terrible. He didn't want to move out of London, but since his father got a new job that stationed him in Manchester, he had no choice.
"Why couldn't we just use Floo Powder?" Remus asked, interrupting his parents' conversation.
"Well, one, your father neglected to tell you that we're moving into the muggle part of Manchester, and two, I couldn't get the Ministry to hook up the fireplace of our new home," replied Remus's mother.
"Great," Remus replied.
"Come on Remus, cheer up," his father said. "Chase is taking this much better than you are."
"Chase had no friends around where we lived," said Remus. "All his friends were from that camp he goes to every summer. They always communicate via muggle post."
"It's not like you'll never see Sirius or Gwynn again," said Mr. Lupin. "You'll all be going to that school… what's its name? Pigwarts?"
"Hogwarts, dear," Mrs. Lupin corrected.
"Yeah, there," replied Mr. Lupin.
"I don't even know if they got in, their letters hadn't come when I got mine," Remus said. "Anyway, Mrs. Black had been trying to get Sirius and Gwynn into Durmstrang. I'm just hoping she failed."
"Durmstrang is so far! Why would Lydia be trying to send them there?" Mrs. Lupin asked.
"Because she can," replied Remus. The rest of the car ride was oddly silent, except for the radio playing some song. Remus watched the scenery fly by out his window. It wasn't too long after they entered Manchester, that they were nearly hit by two joyriding teenagers.
"This is the exact reason I hate these muggle cars!" Mrs. Lupin said, very frazzled by the near accident.
"Calm down, dear," Mr. Lupin said, whether he was affected or not by the scare was indeterminable. He continued down the street and turned down another. "There it is," he said pointing to their new home.
"Yeah, sure, great," Remus said, not paying attention to where his father was pointing.
His father pulled into the driveway. Remus's parents were the first out of the car and Remus followed somewhat reluctantly, taking a good look at the house and the surrounding neighborhood.
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Lily Evans dug through her drawers and her closet looking for her new shirt that she bought the day before.
"Where is it?" Lily shouted at the clothes in her closet. Suddenly it struck her. "PETUNIA!" Lily ran downstairs and found Petunia sitting at the dining room table, wearing her new shirt.
"Petunia! You stole my shirt!" Lily said.
"Did not!" Petunia said.
"MUM!" Lily yelled.
Mrs. Evans walked into the dining room from the kitchen. "What is it Lily?"
"Petunia stole my brand new shirt!" Lily said.
"Petunia give your sister her shirt back." Mrs. Evans instructed.
"She said I could borrow it." Petunia lied.
"I did not!" Lily said stomping her foot.
" You did too," Petunia said.
"Did NOT!"
" Did too."
"What dream world are you living in? I never let you borrow my clothes! They look horrible on you!"
"Stop it both of you! Lily, just let Petunia borrow the shirt for today, and Petunia from now on, ask to borrow any of Lily's things." Mrs. Evans said.
"ERGH!" Lily growled before storming upstairs. She slammed the door to her room and threw off her pajamas and put on her favourite pair of faded blue jeans and an emerald green tank top. She walked over to her bed to lie down but stopped when she saw an envelope that appeared to be made of some type of heavy paper addressed to her on her bed. She picked it up and flipped it over. On the back was a purple wax seal with a lion, an eagle, a badger, and a serpent. Lily tore open the envelope and pulled out the contents. She read over the letter. She had to read it again and a third time to make sure she was reading it correctly. She was accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. She was a witch.
"Mum! Mum! MUM!" Lily shouted running down the stairs clutching the acceptance letter in her hand.
"Lily, what is it?" her mother asked. "What did Petunia do this time?"
"It wasn't Petty! Look!" Lily shoved the letter into her mother's hands. Her mother read over the letter and her eyes widened. "Oh… My…" was all her mother could say.
"Lily, are you sure this isn't some kind of prank?" Mrs. Evans inquired when she had found her voice.
"Mum, I'm positive this is real!" Lily said hardly able to contain her excitement.
"Lily, dear… You do know there is no such thing as witches?"
"But Mum! It explains all those strange things that happen when I get mad at Petty!"
"Lily, listen to me…"
"Mum, no! I'm a witch! They are real! Why won't you believe me?"
"Lily, it's just not pos-"
"Yes it is! I bet if this happened to Petunia, you'd be overwhelmed! Because it's always Petunia this, Petunia that, and 'Lily, why can't you be more like Petunia?' Because Petunia is so perfect! Well, Mother, I can't be like Petunia! I'm me, and I'm a witch! I'm a witch!" Lily balled her hands into fists trying to keep herself from screaming. Suddenly a vase on a table exploded sending shards of glass flying. One piece flew and grazed Lily's cheek leaving a large shallow cut.
"Lily!" Mrs. Evans shouted.
Lily reached up and touched the cut on her cheek. "I'm sorry…" Lily said softly. "I-I didn't mean to…" Lily slowly stepped away from her mother. She turned and ran up to her room.
Lily shut the door to her room and locked it. She grabbed a handkerchief off her dresser and held it to her cut. She sighed and walked over to her window seat. She sat down and stretched her legs out. Lily stared out at the calm street below. The boy next door was practicing for a football game; Mrs. Anderson, the elderly woman across the street, was sitting on her porch with her cocker spaniel; and Petunia's boyfriend, Vernon, had just pulled into the driveway.
"Please don't let them stay…" Lily said. "I can't stand Vernon!"
A few minutes later, Vernon and Petunia left. Lily smiled with relief. Just as Vernon's Chevy turned the corner, a moving truck turned on to the street.
The new neighbors. Lily thought.
The moving truck parked in front of the house next door and a car pulled into the driveway. Lily watched as the family climbed out of the car. She saw a boy who looked about her age. Lily got up from the window seat and went to the bathroom to check on her cut.
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A/n: Well there you go. A nearly all new chapter 1. I'm changing a few things like James not knowing the other Marauders till a little later.
D/c: I only own Gwynn, Liam, Loni, and anything else not recognizable from the HP books. Lauren belongs to a friend of mine and I'm grateful she's letting me use her and is so lenient with how I portray Lauren.
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