Friendship in a Snap
"Lupin, Keilos!" A voice shocked both boys into twirling around as an ebon, messy haired boy with soft brown eyes ran up to them. Chasing after him was a boy with long black hair, darkly tanned skin, and sapphire eyes that danced in mischief and shock; and with him came a really short girl with tresses of blood red and husky blue eyes that complimented her darkly tanned, pale olive skin. They skidded to a stop a foot away and grinned at them with mischievous eyes that gleamed with joy at meeting up with them.
"James Vidar Potter!" A voice called irritated at just calling the name in public.
"Yes mother?" The messy hair boy called back with an innocent smile as a tall woman with blonde hair and chocolate eyes appeared almost suddenly.
"Jimmy, tell me next time you decide to disappear from my sight!" The woman reprimanded with a highly intimidating voice.
"What's the point of disappearing if I have to tell you before doing so?" He asked logically, flashing his mother the most innocently confused expression known to man.
"Don't get cheeky with me, Vidar!" She growled with a smile tugging her lips suddenly.
"Yes, mother." She smiled suddenly and turned, walking away while shaking her head in silent defeat and hilarity. Remus grinned at this with amusement.
"So still the same, I see." James smiled the 'innocent mock'.
"And you, but you look healthier this time. Matti, what have you been feeding him?"
"See!" Matti exclaimed suddenly, pointing accursedly at Remus. "You do look healthier, so I couldn't have been stealing your food." Remus stuck his tongue out, childishly.
"Whatever you say, Keilos. Hey James, gonna introduce us or what?" James suddenly paled at the realization of ignoring his two friends that were with him.
"S-s-sorry," he stuttered, flustered. "The boy is Sirius Black and his cousin, the beautiful crucifix that she is, is Valentine Crocifissa. The last Crocifissa, except for Dracula that is."
"I thought that was a big joke," Matti voiced suddenly. "Dracula's line supposedly died in the seventeenth century. How could you be related to him and when do you start Hogwarts?" Two snorts followed closely after the last question.
(A/N: I wanted Valentina's family to be the second oldest pureblood family in Europe. Though since I wanted her to be a relative to Vlad the Impaler, I had to mess around with history. Late answer to why she has a Spanish accent is because she lived in Spain most of her life at her family's estate which is one of two first attacks on pureblood families by Voldemort. She naturally has a soft, but severely pale olive skin that tans darkly when out too much. As to why she isn't with her family, let's just say that they really are annoying prats. I tried to have her living with her family, but I like that her and Sirius are together at Grimmauld 12. They're planning the runaway from the Blacks, and have been since they were forced into an agreed marriage in future years. My mind thinks that that is why Pansy and Draco are always together. That's just my opinion! Thinking on the shortness of my character, well let's just say that she probably looks like an innocent little eight year old. Or some age like that. Can't be too certain. How tall are you supposedly at that age? I don't remember, but I guarantee that I was really short shortest girl, in fact.)
"I am related to the one muggles term as Vlad the Impaler," she snapped fiercely. "My family just got lucky to pregnant a pureblood before supposedly dying out. That is how my surname became Crocifissa rather than Dracula. And how old do you think I am, exactly?" She made a small gesture that Matti ignored as he stilled in forbiddance.
"W-well eight a-at the v-v-very l-least," he stuttered in fear.
"Well hate to break it to you, but I'm the same age as you. I'm just so bloody short that it dictates my real age." She suddenly flashed a smile at him, "You are fun to tease."
"You're sadistic," Sirius snapped mockingly with amusement evident in his eyes. "Keilos, right?"
"Matti to be exact," Matti chuckled with fear still evident as he back over to the other side of the group and as far away from Valentine as possible.
"Well Matti," Sirius laughed. "She can act as though the world was ending, but if that was anger, you'd be really blind to not notice the gesture she made as she went off in snapping at you. It indicates when she is merely pulling your tail. She abso-bloody-lutely likes to act and it's apparent who her new victim will be in the mere future."
"Aww," James cried. "I thought it was going to be that little snake, Snape!"
She curled her lip in disgust, "Pulling his tail is tricky business and I haven't the time to observe such a slime ball, my dear heart, my beloved Severus Snape." She suddenly frowned and looked over her shoulder with everyone following after her gaze and Matti saw his father walking into the Leaky Cauldron with parents and daughter.
His studying gaze set on the tall man next to Naruko and noticed that his hair was a bronze color along with his eyes being blue. The woman had light auburn (orangey-red) colored hair with pale brown eyes that was glancing at everything in sight with mere wonderment. Lastly, his gaze fell onto a short girl (though not as short as that Valentine, that's for sure) and the first thing he noticed was her eyes. A piercing emerald that shimmered and shadowed along with the lights of the room, but it was obvious about her excitement as it shined keenly in her rich jewel orbs for eyes. Then he slowly took in the lightly tanned, but still pale skin of cream that was enhanced with her long, wavy hair of the same color as her mother's, but a lot richer and more vibrant it would seem. Now he understood about why the thing he instantly fell under was called a 'crush'.
He looked at the others who were at the moment in a conversation it would seem. Though the only one who wasn't conversing was James and his gaze was directly across the room on the girl. Instantly, he knew he felt the same, but he lazily cast a hand through his hair and sauntered over with a sly expression. Before he could stop whatever act James was about to attempt, Remus did the job with excellence as he raced to meet up with Naruko, his father. He followed in pursuit and soon found himself meeting the Evans family and their daughter, Lillian, who preferred to be called 'Lily'. Valentine had sidled up to the girl and both were in a deep discussion while they started going to Diagon Alley. The wall that would reveal the alley was suddenly changing and rearranging itself to reveal a not-so-packed market for wizarding needs.
"This is Diagon Alley, a place to buy all your needs for school and whatnot," Naruko explained in a monotone voice which made Lily start giggling.
"What's with the giggles?" Remus asked while frowning.
"Well he sounds like those travel guides of sorts," she answered, still giggling.
"He does, doesn't he?" Matti laughed as Remus snorted and tried not to burst into a fit of long-lasting laughter. James, Sirius, and Valentine looked confused.
They found themselves splitting up and filling their money bags and then found themselves in Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. Sirius, James, and Valentine admitted in purchasing their robes earlier along with everything else that waited at the Potter's home. Their parents had left to go home, except for James' apparently who went with Naruko and the Evans. They had gone to go pick up quills, parchment, books, and potion ingredients. It would be awhile before they would be finished with measurements and all. Though at long last they were finished and busted out of the store with relief and steadily went to Ollivanders for the last item on their lists. A wand.
Valentine led the way into the shop and Lily entered after her, leaving Matti, Remus, and Sirius to bring up the rear and close the door. Lily had taken to getting her wand first and found that it was ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charm work. Remus had taken to a ten and inch ebony with unicorn, grim, and werewolf hair; making it almost perfect for everything. While lastly, Matti came to find that his wand was unicorn hair, willow, and nine and three fourths of an inch making it great for charms, but somewhat of defense also.
The others were watching with fascination, but soon started to confess what their wands were for. James said his was refined to transfiguration as it was mahogany wand; eleven inches; pliable. He was all, but boasting now when Sirius explained his wand was a foot of ebony with a core of grim hair wrapped around a dragon heartstring, especially good for transfiguration also. Valentine had mentioned a strong wand of holly with a core of a phoenix feather with grim hair twined with the stem (is that right?) that was eleven and a half inches. She explained it worked rather well with defense and transfiguration, but it went nice with a few types of charms. Laughing, the three paid for their wands and found themselves convincing their parents if they could stay a bit longer to look around for a familiar which the parents finally relented and they went to the Leaky Cauldron for lunch. The girls had bolted ahead of the boys and found themselves looking at different types of familiars.
"Maybe we should share pets," Valentine suggested with a grin. "Then we'll be sharing a bird and cat, it works so well with everything anyway." Lily held up a hand with a smile.
"I think that was the smartest thing you've said all morning, but yes. I agree, though I'm better at searching for a bird and you seem to be attached to the cats."
"How 'bout we get two kittens."
"Three," Lily corrected suddenly. "Matti's birthday is coming up and my parents decided to join his family for dinner. So I might as well get him a gift, right? He will be one of our many friends that is for sure. But how can you stand that one called James? He's so arrogant and big-headed." Blue eyes met green with a gleam of understanding.
"Well I've practically known him all my life," she laughed. "It's just easier to ignore it after awhile. Take it from me, the sooner he realizes you hate the whole macho-act; the easier it is to get to know him truthfully. Then again, he may keep that act up for awhile since he is such an idiot." Lily giggled.
"How many detentions do you think he'll get for harassment?" The short girl grinned evilly as she clapped her hands together.
"Not as much as I or Sirius will, unless we combine forces." They both broke out into laughter as they separated while retrieving animals.
Valentine stood looking at the meowing cuties of furry proportions and smiled warmly. Two black kittens were wrestling in the far back and it seems the one with the blue eyes was winning over the other with soft yellowish-green eyes. An orange striped furry Manx sat watching it would seem. She snickered and shook her head with amusement as she plucked all three up into her arms. They were by now meowing excitedly, it would seem, as she came up to the counter and asked if the woman could hold the three kittens as she retrieved food and two baskets. When she came back, she found Lily with a peregrine falcon on her shoulder and trying to get the bird inside a nicely made cage.
"Down right Tobias, that one!" the witch growled as she got the bird to go inside the cage where the bird started squawking at the name just given. The witch cringed and looked sadly at Lily and Valentine apologetically. "Sorry, I just named your bird and now you'll just have to call him that. His name is Tobias. Sorry girls."
"No worries," Lily replied with a reassuring smile. "I actually like that name; it mean that 'Yahweh is good'."
"Ooh, I like that!" Valentine exclaimed excitedly. "That's the wickedly coolest name I've ever heard before." The witch smiled brightly and started helping them get ready and take the animals' home.
"Why two baskets?" the witch asked quickly.
"Well a friend wants a cat, but he is only going to get an owl." Lily followed with: "His birthday is two days away and I'm going to give him one of the black kittens."
"You two are so sweet," the witch cooed with affection. "Well I hope he has one happy birthday. How 'bout you name those three now before you leave and someone accidentally names them for you?"
"Well that's not a bad idea," Valentine replied with a bright smile. "What should we call the one we're giving to Matti? I'll bet he likes the yellowish-green eyed one."
"How 'bout Omen, like the grim?" Lily replied while picking that particular kitten up and looking at it with loving eyes, the cat suddenly purred with affection. "Ooh, I think that's a yes for little one here!" Valentine laughed as she picked up the other black cat with blue eyes that were almost as pale as hers. "Felix?" Lily's voice came with a soft knowing sigh.
"Yeah," Valentine replied softly while cuddling the cat with a pure loving expression. "That one, the orange one... I think we should call him..."
"Her, you mean?"
"...Her Tawny because her fur is darkening it looks like."
"No! How about Alexia, but Alex for short?"
"Yes, the last shall be called Alexia. Though Al or Alex for short!" The sound of four snorts came behind them as she exclaimed the name with a dignified voice. She looked over her shoulder and snapped loudly, "Like you wouldn't act the same."
"How come you got three cats?" Remus asked as he came up beside Valentine only to look over her head at three kittens that were currently wrestling together.
Lily smiled wickedly, "That's for us to know and for you not to find out."
"Yet," the short girl voiced with a mischievous glimmer in her eyes.
"Oh really," Sirius scoffed lazily as he came on the other side and slung an arm around her shoulders. "How many with you?"
"I'll being taking the two kittens here home," she said as she gestured to the two cats that her and Lily were going to keep, "and Lily gets to bring home Tobias and little grim reaper over there." Lily snorted as she remembered the name 'Omen' and earlier about the explanation of what a grim was, from Sirius and Remus.
Without further questions the boys went to find their own familiars. Matti and Remus came back with a small and gorgeous barn owl and a finely made cage. Sirius returned with a smaller peregrine falcon than Lily and Valentines, while as James retrieved a large snowy owl with rich yellow eyes. His owl was later named Antonio, for some unknown reason while Sirius named his owl Alejandro. Remus and Matti were fussing over many different names when Valentine was observing the owl with a wolfish grin.
She leaned over and whispered very lightly to the owl: "Your name is Bữno, sweet thing." Straightening up, she walked next to Lily who was silently snickering at what she had just seen.
"Okay then, we'll call him Socrates!" Remus exclaimed and found the bird hooting indignantly at him and Matti; Remus' eyes narrowed as he looked at the owl. "Who named our owl already?"
The girls just looked plainly confused making the witch snort with silent laughter as Valentine looked him in the eyes and said carefully, "Who would name your owl during your twenty questions? Maybe he heard one and thought 'what the hell, better late than ever!'." Lily snorted which quickly turned into a harsh cough.
"Lily?" Matti asked with a playfully harsh tone. "What did you call the owl?"
"Don't look at me, I don't know any Spanish!" Valentine smiled like a Cheshire cat.
"Bữno sounds right, doesn't it; sweet thing?" The owl flew over to her and landed on her shoulder and gently nipped at her ear while she glanced at the two boys innocently. "Well what do you expect? You were going to ruin such a pretty owl's honor with some silly little name? Well can't have that happen, now can we? (Both boys snorted as she ranted.) I've just did you a favor and you snarl like ravage animals, I feel so unloved. I need a hug." Sirius scooped her up with a bark like laugh causing the owl to fly over to Remus in a loud squawk.
"You're an everything material!" he laughed loudly as he put her back on her feet.
She flicked her hair over a shoulder and picked up one big basket while Lily grabbed the smaller of the bunch along with their falcon. They left the boys to chasing after them and laughed as they finally caught up with them as they entered the Leaky Cauldron. Valentine ordered them some butterbeers as their parents seemed to dismiss the fact that they were there. 'The Trio' as they had now quickly taken to calling the kittens were wrestling once again. The birds were sleeping or at least every bird except Bữno was sleeping. The bird had taken to hooting softly up at Valentine every so often catching her attention and getting a warm smile. Matti and Remus groaned at the same time as they noticed this.
"You've stolen our bird!" they both exclaimed after they took a long glance at each other before turning to look at her.
"I can't even pronounce its name!" Remus snarled weakly.
"I can't either!" Matti followed with a moan.
"Well get over it," she hissed suddenly. "You can probably get away with calling it 'Owl' as much as the other. I mean, its name is Spanish for 'owl'."
Lily giggled, "That's so original."
"Never have put it better myself," James said with a lazy and slurring tone, trying all the while to get her attention away from Matti. "Or maybe I could..."
"Don't think on it," Sirius chuckled. "You'll hurt yourself doing that."
"Whatever, mate. That's just prejudice right there!"
"Whatever floats your flimsy boat, mate!"
"Well at least he came up with a conversation to steer away from you," Valentine hissed as Lily whom looked surprised at the sudden heated argument.
"That's very surprising in the least," Lily replied with a beaming smile.
"Ooh, so I hear it's someone's birthday soon!" Valentine suddenly giggled lightly. "I wonder who the person is."
"You're insufferable, you know that?" Remus and Matti snorted with laughter.
"Lily, you hurt me!" The boy's laughter grew louder.
"You're going to be the death of me, I'm sure."
"Whatever helps you sleep at night, luv."
"Shut up."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Yes!"
"N-no, please don't hurt me!" Lily and Valentine had been laughing as they argued and had a semi cat fight and in doing so, receiving cat calls from the boys.
The girls both stood up and bowed to their viewers and started to giggle as the boys shouted, "You're the best!" Causing both to lean into each other and laugh hysterically.
"All right over there?" Naruko called as he their parents glanced in their direction.
"Oh, the best!" Sirius called back with a snort following his statement.
"Yeah, the boys are singing and the girls are winning!" Both girls cried out the same time after silently whispering to each other.
"Sorry, but we have to be going." The Evans said at once, but reluctantly.
"Oh," Valentine whined lightly. "Well I'm looking forward to our time on the train."
"Nope, much sooner I'm afraid," Mrs. Potter laughed as she looked at the girl's wanting expression.
"What?"
"The Evans and we have been invited to dinner in a fortnight." (Please let that be two weeks!)
"Really?!"
"Yes." This started to make the girl jump up and down and then hug Lily as though her life depended on it.
"Yippee!!!!" This caused everyone to snort with laughter and more so as the Evans were led out of the pub after Naruko asked for Remus and Matti to meet him at home. After that, the Evans left as well as the trio of trouble makers, leaving Matti and Remus to going home by floo powder.
