Chapter Four:
The Other Sister
Serena sat at the kitchen table, twiddling her thumbs, wondering why she had to endure these meetings since she was pregnant and couldn't be in the Order of the Phoenix anyway. She had so many mood-swings it was hard to tell who was the enemy sometimes; her or Voldemort.
And, as if being pregnant wasn't enough, the reports Snape gave were enough to make her totally, officially sick to her stomach; more than she already was, and that was saying something as she now had bouts of morning sickness after every meal.
Looking around the room at everybody, she smiled as she saw that Sirius was carving something in the table with the knife that Mrs. Weasley had set out for everybody to get bread. Then she looked over at Lupin, who had caught her eye and rolled his eyes at her as Snape made a smart jab at Sirius.
After the meeting, when everybody left, Serena waddled up to Snape. (AN: I don't know 'bout you guys, but I love seeing pregnant people waddle, they're just so cute!) "So, Severus, how is Amy doing?" she quietly, but casually asked, looking at the fingernails on her left hand. She really needed to repaint those...
Sirius looked up quickly and sharply. He was startled by this question, as she had just asked a question which had not escaped her mouth for years and years.
Snape was also startled by this question, but was quick to get back to his usual cold, collected attitude. "She is fine," he replied, a slight sneer playing around his lips as he glance coldly at her, trying to calculate her up, trying to figure out just what she was trying to gain by asking this question.
"You're taking good care of her, are you?" asked Serena, in the same quiet tone, still looking at her fingernails.
Snape looked at her again, with a raised eye brow. "Why do you ask?" he asked. He was starting to get unnerved by her questions. "Why are you so interested all of a sudden? I would have thought you would have completely forgotten about her."
Serena smiled wryly. "Kind of hard for me to forget about her, isn't it? She is, after all, my sister."
Snape thought this over for a moment, then decided to give Serena the requested information. "Of course I am taking good care of her. I am married to her, am I not?" then, looking into her warm eyes for a fraction of a second, he added thoughtfully. "And, she should be about double your size right now. She's expecting twins."
Serena digested this for a moment, then split into a huge grin. "Congratulations!" she exclaimed, making both Snape's and Sirius's go up. "Tell her I wish her the best, and to not go near any ovens or stoves, she might pop."
Snape was momentarily stunned by this sudden warmth Serena was showing towards Amy and him. It was totally uncharactoristic for Serena to be concerned about them.
The two sisters had not talked to each other for twelve years, after all, so this show was stunning.
Sirius watched as Snape left the room, then gaped at his wife. "What was all THAT about?" he asked, still gaping at her.
"I just wanted to know about my sister," replied Serena, shaking her head. Then she yawned. "I'm gonna go take a nap."
Sirius nodded and gave her a quick kiss before she left the room.
Serena waddled up the stairs, now being quite large, although she didn't know why; she was only one and a half months along; she shouldn't be showing just yet.
She sat on the bed and pulled out her photo album, and looked at it again. She smiled as she saw some pictures of her during her first year at Hogwarts; a bunch of them included James and the rest of the Marauder's, and very few of which included Amy. Those pictures went up to third year.
FLASHBACK
"Oh, I'm SO excited!" piped an eleven year old Amy as she got on the Hogwarts Express, dragging her trunk with her.
James smiled as he watched her weave in and out of the students on the train to get to his compartment. "Hiya, James. Do you mind if I sit in here with you?" she asked breathlessly. She noticed there was only one seat in there and wanted to sit with James and his friends... not that she had a crush on any of them, or anything.
James smiled. "Ah, I wish you could, but this seat is saved, Ames. Why don't you go sit with the friends you've been making on the platform?" he replied.
Amy brightened up and said in her eleven year old high-pitched voice. "Okay!" and she ran out the door, bumping somebody in the shoulder and knocking the petite blonde over. She glanced at the girl and coldly said, "You should watch where you're going. And, James told me it's full in there."
The blonde rolled her eyes. "That may be so, but I could certainly use a hand up." she replied.
Amy grinned and helped the blonde one up. "You're not hurt, are you?" she asked, dropping her cold act at once. "I really didn't mean to hit you that hard."
The blonde smiled. "I'm fine. You'd better go and find your friends." she replied, glancing at the floor as she did so.
Amy frowned. "Sere, you're my friend," then she grinned. "You could sit on my lap half the way and on Sirius's the rest of the way."
Serena was bright red by the time Amy pulled her into James's compartment.
James grinned. "There's only one seat-"
"Don't worry," interrupted Serena smoothly. "Amy and I've got it all figured out."
This time Amy went bright red. "Yeah, we have." she replied quietly.
Pretty soon Amy was snoozing away, leaning comfortably against Peter, who had scooted over in his seat so she could have some space after laughing at the red faces Serena and Amy had after smooshing each other til one had to sit on the floor.
"And she's what, eleven?" asked James, glancing at Amy's sleeping form.
Serena, who was locked in a battle of wits with Remus, playing Wizard's Chess, looked up and replied with a sly smile. "And you're what, twelve?"
James blushed. "Yeah," he muttered grudgingly.
Sirius eyed Remus and Serena's game of chess with suspicion and decided to join in on the two's whispered conversation.
"Oh, Sirius, who invited you into this conversation?" asked Serena in mock annoyance.
"Somebody has to chaperone you two," replied Sirius, grinning at the look Remus gave him.
When the game was finished, Serena took her seat next to Sirius. She shivered as she watched the rain pelt hard against the windows.
Sirius took his coat and draped it around her. "You looked cold," he said, smiling, very pleased with himself.
Remus turned around and handed her a nice warm cookie. "It helps when you eat warm things, too." he knowingly replied.
James gave them both a 'Back-of-from-my-precious-baby-sister-she's-only-eleven-and-your-only-twelve-you-perverts-didn't-your-mother-teach-you-anything-about-being-respectful-to-girls?' look and they backed off... for a bit.
Pretty soon the three were involved in a pretty vicious game of Exploding Snape...(AN... I mean, Snap! ).
James glared and then noticed that Peter and Amy were now sharing jokes.
Rolling his eyes, he decided to keep an eye on BOTH girls until they were both married off... preferably to one of his friends in this compartment.
Nothing else exciting happened on the train ride; nothing other than James's frequent glare matches with Sirius and Remus and Peter, that is.
Pretty soon the boys traipsed out of the compartment so the girls could get ready.
"So, you've got two your stringing along, I see." Amy commented, grinning at her twin as she went bright cherry red. "Sweet."
Serena looked at the ground, now beet red. "I guess," she replied meekly.
Amy grinned. "That's awesome! But, of course, James and I will be watching you like hawks, so you'll have to be very careful around them, Sere." she replied.
Serena scrunched her nose. "Same goes for you and Peter, you know? I'll be watching you so closely I can tell what kind of food you're eating, and believe me, that's no empty threat." she replied.
Amy laughed. "Alrighty, shall we let the boys get dressed now?" she asked, and the two went out of the compartment, arm in arm.
"Potter Amy," said Professor McGonagall, looking at her scroll, the corners of her mouth twitching a bit. The twin sister's of James Potter should be interesting.
Amy smiled brightly to her sister, who was looking slightly green in the face, then made her way to where the Sorting Hat was waiting to be placed on her head.
"Hmmm..." that hat stated in her mind. "Yes... You'll be quite the student, you will. You're brave, yet cunning, loyal, and not too trusting. You have a huge amount of love and respect for your family, and will go to any lengths to help them. You're smart and sharp, and I know just where to place you. SLYTHERIN!"
James choked on his drink at the Gryffindor table as Amy traipsed off to be with the cheering Slytherins.
"Potter, Serenity." said Professor McGonagall, more than slightly surprised that Amy had gone to Slytherin.
Serena, who had gone a slightly darker shade of green, walked slowly over to where the stool was situated and Professor McGonagall placed it on her head. At once she heard a voice. "Ah..." said the hat in her mind. "I've been waiting a long time to sort you, Serenity, a long time indeed. You've several different qualities than your sister does. You also have a love and respect of your family and you admire them beyond anything. Yes, your ability to love is your greatest attribute. You'll be an excellent student, top of your game, one might say. You're brave, too. I can see it. I know just where to put you. GRYFFINDOR!"
Serena felt warm releif flood through her as she walked over to where her brother and the Marauder's were sitting.
She smiled. Remus and Sirius had saved a place for her between them.
END OF FLASHBACK.
Serena had to admit that she was more than slightly surprised when Amy got put in Slytherin. She could feel her heart sinking even as the hat was placed on her sister's head, yet didn't want to believe or make anything out of it.
She closed the book and smiled wryly to herself as she laid on her side, looking at the wall. This never would have happened if she hadn't have asked Severus to that dance...
Alrighty, I'm being very mean and leaving it there for a little while. I hoped you guys liked this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. You'll understand a bit more about Serena's and Amy's relationship as the chapters progress, and there will be more exciting chapters coming up, so keep your eyes peeled, 'cause you'll want 360 degrees of movement for the next few chapters.
