Chapter 8
"Lumos!" Lily shouted, waving her wand around.
"We don't have to wave the wand, Lily. The encantation's enough." Remus explained calmly.
It was the last day of the term. Lily and Remus were partnered together to work on the Lumos charm.
"Why aren't they practising it?" she asked, pointing at James and Sirius.
"They got it right ages ago."
"When? I never saw them in the Library!"
"Er, I don't think they ever entered the Library, Lily."
"I suppose its a privilege, coming from a wizarding family. You don't have to put much effort in classes and get plenty of time to fool around. Lumos."
"Its not like that," said Remus automatically, watching Lily's wand tip flare brightly with light, "wow!" he added.
" Stop defending them, Remus."
"They are my friends too, Lily." he sighed.
"Where were you last weekend, though?" she said in an attempt to change the subject.
"At my grandma's house," said Remus swiftly, "she isn't well."
"Oh! I hope she gets better soon." Lily replied kindly as the bell rang.
After dinner, Lily went to the library to return some books she had borrowed. Madam Pince, the librarian was always kind to Lily and she made sure to wish her a 'Merry Christmas' before leaving. As Lily entered the dormitory, she found her four friends giggling at some joke.
"What's so funny?" she asked to the room in general.
"The- the Slytherins," said Dorcas, clutching the bedposts in an attempt to stand. "the look on their faces- absolutely hilarious."
"Did you see Belby?"Janet chortled. " Trying to get off his broom in mid-air."
"That was NOT funny!", Lily thundered. "Poor Severus! Nearly toppled off his broom."
"How can you call him poor?", Aletha demanded. "He started firing hexes at James and Sirius as soon as he landed."
"It's not as if they're innocent children." Lily retorted. "I suppose they planned the whole thing . Potter did warn me not to use that rickety broom, you know.."
"I wonder why?" Alice rolled her eyes.
"You know they are funny. And James always helps me out in Transfiguration." Janet chimed.
"That's his one best subject!"
"He helps Peter too, and Frank." said Dorcas. "And he's an excellent flier."
"So is Gwenog Jones." said Lily crossly. Besides he's got an ego the size of the Quidditch pitch."
"And he musses up his hair in that irritating way." Alice put in.
"Yes! That's absolutely unforgivable." Lily decided.
"You are impossible, you are!" Janet chuckled.
"Severus is my friend and Potter is not! And I'll stick to it." Lily folded her hands across her chest.
"As long as you can."Dorcas smiled.
Next morning, the girls boarded the train to King's Cross from Hogsmeade station. After spending some time with her friends in Gryffindor, Lily announced that she was off to see Severus.
"Have a great time." Janet called after her.
Lily continued down the train in search of Severus and found him waiting for her in a compartment along with Sienna Smart. "Hello! Sienna, Sev!", said Lily, closing the compartment door after her.
Sienna and Severus echoed her.
"So," said Sienna, "How's life with the Gryffindors?"
"Tolerable," said Lily dryly. "And the Slytherins?"
"Oh they're the most charming fellows I have ever met. Specially Bellatrix. She is a very endearing person once we forget that she is a cruel evil bitch!"
"Sienna, we don't go badmouthing about our own house" Severus admonished her as Lily smirked.
"Truth hurts, Sev." she smirked.
"And the truth is that Bellatrix is a powerful witch. Her family has more connections in the Wizarding World than the Minister herself."
"Such an uncanny imitation of Prefect Lucius Malfoy. You are getting good at this Severus." Sienna drawled.
"Both, the Malfoys and the Blacks are pathetic. The Blacks have openly declared their support for Voldemort. How good is that?" Lily stated flatly.
Both Sienna and Severus gaped at Lily.
Nobody spoke of the Dark Lord's name. Severus recovered himself and said, concerned, "That's not a wise thing to say Lily. The Dark Lord has already gained a lot of support from the traditional purebloods. You become a target easily due to your, er, birth. Don't make yourself more vulnerable than you already are."
Lily's retort died on her lips seeing his earnest worry and she nodded.
"I am from a traditional pureblood family and and we do not support You Know Who!" said Sienna.
"But you cannot deny that he is gaining power, Sienna. Rodolphus even says he might take over the whole of the Britain in a few years."
"And did your precious Rodolphus teach you the hexes you fired at Potter and Black the other day?" Lily suddenly remembered.
"And what about them trying to knock us off our brooms?" Severus demanded, thoroughly agitated by now.
"I didn't say what they did was right. I said what you did was wrong. You are my friend Sev, not them." Upon seeing his disbelieving look she continued, "Potter and Black are arrogant bullies. Simply stupid and childish."
"I think you managed to convince him." Sienna remarked.
From there the conversation drifted to more general topics as the train sped towards London. Soon, Lily and Severus were having a heated argument over the forgetfulness potion.
"It's already getting dark, Lily. We'll soon arrive at King's Cross. You wanted to collect your luggage from the other compartment, didn't you?" Sienna reminded Lily in an attempt to distract them.
For a moment Lily looked as if she would argue but then she nodded and left to meet the Gryffindor girls.
Fifteen minutes later Lily crossed the barrier along with Severus, to find her parents waiting for her on the muggle platform. 'So Petunia's not here' Lily noted, slightly disappointed. 'She hasn't yet calmed down then.' With Petunia's tantrums and her magical abilities this Christmas was going to be very eventful, she thought.
James, Sirius, Remus, Frank and Peter enjoyed their train ride back to London playing Exploding Snap, Gobstones, Wizard's chess and eating sweets. Remus and Frank played an interesting game of Wizard's Chess. James and Sirius alternated between pestering them and advising 'wise' moves.
"Sirius," Remus snarled, "For the Love of Merlin, would you keep your mouth shut?" Frank, Peter and James sniggered.
The rest of the train ride was spent playing Exploding Snap in which Peter won continuously. The other boys were rather astonished but nevertheless congratulated Peter enthusiastically.
"Blimey Peter," said Sirius as they got down the train, "You really managed to shock us there."
"I'll write to all of you" James promised, "We could meet over the holidays-"
"Hey brother!" said a tall girl with soft light brown hair and wide kind eyes, tapping Sirius on the shoulder, "Cissy and Bella have already been breathing down my neck to get you for the past ten minutes. Hurry up, will you? We'll have time for fond farewells later."
Sirius turned to find his favourite cousin Andromeda Black smiling down at him.
"Fine," he took a deep breath, "Fine!"
As he hugged his friends goodbye he felt James drop something inside his cloak pocket and could have sworn he saw James wink as he left. He withdrew Dr. Filibuster's No Heat Wet Start Fireworks from there and grinned mischievously as he put it back. Andromeda noticed this but chose not to comment.
Bellatrix, Narcisaa, Andromeda and Sirius drove to Number 12, Grimmauld Place through Ministry car borrowed by Sirius' father. There was a very awkward silence throughout the ride as Sirius and Bellatrix glared determinedly at each other. Narcisaa kept shooting Sirius disapproving glances now and then, and Andromeda ignored the whole lot of them.
Sirius' first thought as he entered his age old family home was that the house was getting gloomier day by day. His mother hugged his three cousins warmly, shooted him a glare and said, " How nice of you to stay over for Christmas girls! Go, get ready for dinner."
Sirius hurried up the staircase to his room. He threw a disgusted look at the recently mounted head of a house-elf and doubled up his speed. He saw his younger brother, Regulus lounging on his bed as he entered the room.
"Um, hello!" Sirius said cautiously. " Nice to meet you?"
"Yeah, you could say that." Regulus replied getting more comfortable on his bed. He looked a lot like Sirius, the same dark hair and slightly haughty look, albeit less handsome than his brother.
Sirius continued inside his room and pretended to rummage for something in the wardrobe. Unable to contain himself he whirled around and asked, rather aggressively, "What do you want?"
"Nothing." Regulus said slowly, as though unsure whether to start a conversation or not.
Sirius just cocked an eyebrow.
"I heard you got sorted into Gryffindor." Regulus blurted out finally.
"You got any problem with that?" Sirius growled.
His brother just shrugged. Sirius returned to his wardrobe.
"How are Gryffindor like?"
"Better than this lot you call our family."
"You could say that." Regulus nodded and left abruptly.
Sirius stood staring after his brother, thoroughly bewildered by this unusual display. Then, as he began to get ready for dinner there was a loud CRACK and Kreacher, the family house-elf appeared and Sirius jumped in surprise. "Master Sirius has been called for dinner," the elf squeaked and added under his breath, "Nasty brat landed himself with the Mudbloods. Oh my poor mistress, so disappointed she was.."
"Get out of my room you little devil!" said Sirius loudly over the elf's mutters.
"Mistress has called Master Sirius for dinner." The elf repeated and vanished with another crack.
Sirius sat beside his cousin Andromeda at the dinner table. The conversation was rather formal. Sirius' mother, father, uncle and aunt mostly talked about the Ministry of Magic or the Dark Lord or both. Frequently, Narcisaa and Bellatrix were showered with praise and snide remarks were thrown at Sirius. Regulus watched all this with interest and Andromeda was mostly ignored until-
"What is the name of your boyfriend again, Andromeda?" Bellatrix asked nastily.
"Ted Tonks." Andromeda grunted and Sirius' ears perked up.
"A mudblood." said Arcturus Black, Sirius' uncle and the temperature of the room dropped a few degrees.
"We already have a Gryffindor in the family and now you are associating with mudbloods." said Mrs. Walburga Black.
"You will severe all ties with the mudblood or face dire consequences. This is my final word." Andromeda's father stated. Bellatrix looked positively delighted.
"We must congratulate Narcissa, though. I hear she has acquainted herself with a young man named Lucius Malfoy." Walburga smiled at Narcissa.
"Yes, yes. Lucius Malfoy, Abraxas Malfoy's son, you know." Andromeda's mother, Elladora announced to the room.
"Very well, very well," approved Orion Black. "We expect nothing less from you, child. The Black family shall seek ties only with those whose blood is as pure as ours. And the Malfoys are a worthy selection. Perhaps, Bellatrix you will find that a certain Rodolphus Lestrange is too."
Bellatrix blushed at this, if you could call that a blush. Sirius was revolted by this pureblood mania. He wondered how he was going to survive through these Christmas holidays, let alone his whole life, with this disaster of a family. He didn't want to think and frankly he didn't want to know.