January, 1975
"...Guys, look! She's waking up!"
I forced my eyes open, wincing at the bright light that welcomed me. My throat quenched with thirst and my stomach ached. Groaning in pain, I opened my eyes again and this time my eyes adjusted to the light. I was then welcomed by three smiliy, albeit concerned, faces. Marlene. Lily. Lydia.
"Oh I'm so glad you're awake!" Lydia said, giving me a gentle hug, one I returned by gently patting her back. "We were all so worried."
I offered her a small smile and then Lily came up and gave me a hug, tears practically in her eyes. "Oh, Reesa..."
I nodded in understanding, knwoing everything she meant but couldn't put into words. Then came Marlene's turn, who looked perhaps the most worried of them all. She pressed her lips together and just as she shed a tear, she grasped me in a tight embrace.
"I'm sorry, Cerisa," she whispered, her voice breaking, "i'm so sorry for not noticing. I'm so so sorry."
When she started to cry, I couldn't hold back my tears anylonger. So I held her tighter and together we hugged and cried. Lydia soon joined, followed by Lily. The four of us held each other tightly, all of us in tears. But I sat amongst them, the tears flowing freely down my hallowed cheeks.
I didn't know how long we stayed like that, but when we finally pulled away from each other, Madam Pomfrey appeared to give me my medicine. She also said I would need to stay in the infirmary for an extra night. I was so grateful for her discretion and for her not giving me looks of judgement. I was so happy that for once I wasn't screamed at for making a mistake.
When I took my medicine, the girls gave me one last hug before leaving. Madam Pomfrey gave me a sleeping draught and soon I was fast asleep.
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Late January-early February, 1975
The only visitors I got while at the infirmary were Lydia, Marlene, and Lily. Besides them, no one else seemed to know. Jules was told due to being my geographivally closest, oldest relative, but I didn't see him or even talk with him until a week after getting discharged.
Even then, I stuck close to my girls. Sometimes Snape would appear but he never stayed long. He seemed to be getting annoyed how much attention Lily was paying to me instead of him.
Peter also appeared sometimes, thanks to always being around Lydia. But Lydia never leaved my side unless either Marlene or Lily was with me. I didn't mind this at first, but then it got quicky annoying. It was at the beginning of February when I convinced the girls to do their own things and leave me alone. Lily and Lydia eventually agreed but it was like pulling teeth Marlene. I was relieved when she finally agreed.
And so on the first weekend of February, Lydia went with Peter to Hogsmeade. Marlene went to the library—she was going there a lot recently—and Lily spent time with Snape. She felt bad for not spending time with him and while I admired it, I couldn't help but feel as though Snape wasn't the best sort of company.
On that first weekend, I sat on the couch in the Gryffindor common room. Everyone else was out and about, except for two girls who were in their dorm rooms doing who-knows-what. I though I would spend the afternoon alone, just looking snd listening to the crackling of the fireplace, but I was wrong when the door to the common room opened, revealing Sirius.
He gave me a lopsided grin as he walked towards me and held up what I recognized was the invisibility cloak.
I smiled and raised an eyebrow. "What's that for?"
"Come on, Kaiser," Sirius said, holding out his hand. "We're going on an adventure!"
I hesitated but after a moment my smile broadened and I took his hand. He pulled me to my feet and after placing the cloak over us, he and I left the common room.
I tried multiple times to ask him what he was planning, but he stubbornly kept his words to himself. But I had to admit that even if we'd only roamed the castle, I would've been happy. It was such an experience to roam the castle with no one knowing you're even there.
Our roaming ended, to my surprise, at the Slytherin dungeons. I frowned, looking at him, but he merely lifted a finger, signaling me to wait.
We stood outside fhe Slytherin common room and right when a Slytherin—Malfoy if all people—opened the door and entered, he cried out, stumbling back out.
I left out a laugh, only to be quieted by Sirius who held his hand over my mouth and his other over his own mouth.
Malfoy was covered completely in glitter—red and gold glitter to be exact. He looked at himself in horror and then said words so crude I didn't know if they should even exist. But it only got better when a group of first years came upon him. When they started to laugh, I could've stop myself from doing the same.
Sirius must've realized this because that was when we raced back to the Gryffindor common room. When we got back, he took off the invisibility cloak and I burst out laughing. I collapsed on the couch, grabbing my stomach which had started to hurt from laughing. Sirius plopped down on the cocuh beside me and we laughed together.
When we finally stopped, which took a while, I wiped away the laughing tears and sighed, a smile springing on my face.
"Thank you," I said, my smile slightly fading. I needed Sirius to know I meant it.
Sirius shrugged, grinning. "It was nothing. It was more for me than you."
"I'm serious," I told him, sitting legs crossed facing him. "Not just for this. But for getting me to Madam Pomfrey."
Sirius's smiled disappeared as he nodded in understanding. "Really, Kaiser. It was nothing."
I shook my head with smile. I wanted—I needed—him to understand that it wasn't nothing. I needed to let him know that he might as well have saved me from death. I needed to let him know that I'm grateful for everything, despite all the teasing and snarky comments I always give him. I needed him to know but I didn't think my vocabulary held such words to explain a thing like that.
"I'm just glad you're okay," Sirius said, looking at the crackling fire.
I sighed, resting my elbow on the top of the couch and then rested my head in my hand. "Why do you care?"
"Who said I cared?" Sirius asked, earning an amused look from me. He grinned. "Nah, I'm just kidding. And why do I care? Well, I told you, Kaiser. You're my girl."
Normally I might've given him a smile and a sassy comment, but instead I pressed my lips together as my hesrt fluttered.
"Thank you," I whispered.
"You're welcome," Sirius said, completely serious, before his lips broke into a mischievous, teasing smile. "And you're staring."
My eyes widened and a blush flooded my cheeks. I just knew I looked like a complete fool with my red face. When Sirius's smile only widened, I grabbed a pillow and wacked him with it. He laughed after the first time but when I tried to do it again he grabbed the pillow away from me.
"Not this time, Kaiser," Sirius told me, giving me a charming smile. "And you know, it's okay. All the girls love me."
My instinct was to whack him with a pillow, but he had all of the them of his side of the couch. So instead I crossed my arms and glared at him.
"You know I hate you, right?"
Much to my surprise, Sirius leaned in and kissed me on my cheek before replying, "I know."
I felt a blush come to my cheeks again and my heart was fluttering like really fast now. But I didn't do or say anything. Instead, Sirius and I just sat there in the couch, looking into the crackling fire.
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May, 1975
Going back home was a terror. On the entire ride home, Veronique was commenting on how I'll finally find a husband because I was thin and pretty now. I ignored her, obviously, but it was still annoying.
When we returned home, Mother, Father, and Ghislaine were waiting for us—Jules had already gone to his friends before even coming home first.
When Mother saw my new appearance, she jumped with joy and grasped me in a tight embrace. Father smiled af me proudly, but I was just angry. I was angry but what I had to go through because fhey threatened to take me away from my home. I was angry and so I was impulsive.
While Mother and Father were talking about potential suitors—Sirius being one of them—I reached into one of the kitchen drawers and took out the scissors. Before Mother or Father could do anything, I took the scissors and cut my hair at my shoulders, causing ash-blonde hair to pile at my feet. When Mother noticed, she screamed in outrage, whacking me with a towel.
"You stupid child!" She had screamed at me. "You stupid, stupid child!"
She had sent me to my room after that and that's where I now sat, on my desk. I listened to Mother and Father's conversation down below while staring at myself at my vanity mirror. My hair now reached my shoulders. It was choppy at the ends and I thought about fixing them, but I decided I would anger them more if I kept it like this.
That's what Mother got for threatening to take everything against me. No doubt she would do it now, but there was no point. The deed was already done. She only had anger left and Father would take care of that for me.
My thoughts were interrupted by an unknown owl flying in through my window. Frowning, I detached the letter from its leg. I opened it and inside read,
Hope you have a bearable summer - SB
Smiling, I replied by writing:
Same to you - CK
I sent the owl off with my letter. As I watched it go, I felt happier than I had in ages and it was incredible.
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So that's the end of year 4! A truly horrible one for Cerisa, but with a good ending. Stick around for year five where romance blossoms!!!! Read and review!! 3
