I have absolutely no excuse to why this is so late. :S
I can only hope you will accept my sincerest apology!
Also, I'll be rewriting the first two chapters. Nothing major! There are just some moments and details that, looking back at it, I could have done better.
P.S. Some fun Lily interaction in this. I figured since they live in the same dormitory they should have some ground rules of behavior towards each other, and I hope you like it.
P.P.S Lily and Siria are not friends after this. Lily hates Siria and Siria still doesn't give two shits about it and it will only get worse as they grow older… But I figured since they are still quite young in this, so they would be more open to form some kind of "truce".
Warning: Mentions of blood in this chapter… Period blood.
Please leave reviews! I love reading them!
BTW I haven't mentioned this before, but I'm Danish. So if there are any major mistakes in grammer, spelling, uses of punctuation etc. I can again only apologize.
Oh! And I changed the names of the chapters.
Disclaimer: I own nothing, I was only inspired.
Enjoy:D
The next morning, Siria was at breakfast alone. Lots of people had wished her a happy birthday. Mary had given her a pack of exploding snap. Regulus had sent her a bag of licorice wands. Andromeda had given her two pretty, blue and silver quills. However they were in exchange for Siria's jobberknoll quills, as Andromeda had run out and needed some for potions. Siria had told her to throw in her Cliodna chocolate frog card and then they had a deal. Her uncle Alphard had sent her a purple, velvet pouch filled with knuts, to pay for the subscription to the Daily Prophet he had made in her name. The twins had presented her with a bag of pepper imps and lots of hugs just before she went to class.
Siria wondered where the lads were. She had yet to see them this morning.
She walked to class, down the long stairwell to the dungeons. She stopped right outside the potions class room. Something was off. It was dead silent. Usually, it was anything but quiet in the morning. Siria slowly stepped into the classroom, where she was greeted with an unusual sight, to say the least.
The classroom was empty, except for three people. James, Remus and Peter stood in front of her with huge grins on their faces. Behind them, they had lined up half-a-dozen house elves. The boys stepped aside and the elves started singing "Happy birthday to you".
Slightly off-key and with a faint tone of nervous insecurity, the house elves hauled themselves through the performance. Siria was unsure how she should react. The concert was awkward but she could not help to be amused and a little touched.
The song ended and Siria clapped, so did the boys.
"Thank you so much for your help!" James said to the house elves.
The house elves sprinted towards the door, bowing and whispering amongst themselves, as they did.
Peter stepped forward and presented Siria with a shoebox with a large red ribbon on it. Inside Siria found an array of sweets. A box of Bertie Bott's, a chocolate bar, a cauldron cake, two chocoballs, a bag of Droobles best blowing gum, lots of toffee, chocolate frogs and the remains of Peter's Pumpkin sweets.
"We'd like to apologize for the rather unpolished birthday surprise. But you did only give us about-" Remus checked his watch. "9 hours' notice!"
"Sorry about that. And thank you, for all of this. You really didn't have to do that!" Siria said.
"Of course we did!" James insisted. "Only the best for our leading lady!" He bowed and reached to kiss Siria's hand. She pushed him away.
"Twat!" She said, chuckling. James grinned.
"By the way, where is everyone?" Siria asked. "Is potions cancelled?" She added, hopefully.
"No." Remus replied. "But professor Slughorn wants to use these lessons to have us stock up the storages. We won't be able to collect fresh potion ingredients once Hogwarts freezes over."
Siria nodded. "So we'll be going outside?"
"Indeed!" James said and handed Siria her cloak.
.
The rest of the class were spread out on the Hogwarts grounds, already beginning to pluck and gather. Professor Slughorn greeted Siria and the lads, with a big smile. He asked if the little "surprise" had gone according to plan. The lads nodded and thanked him for lending them the classroom. Slughorn wished Siria a happy birthday and pointed her and the boys towards a hill, where they according to him could find "lots and lots of wolfsbane!"
Siria silently thanked her parents for buying her a thick velvet cloak, for it was a strong, cold wind that blew that morning. She hoped for the lessons soon to end, so she could stay inside for the remainder of the weekend.
Siria and the lads felt they had plucked their share of wolfsbane in the first lesson, so when potions continued after the break, they all sat down together behind the hill, where Slughorn couldn't see them.
"I've been thinking…" Siria said, once they had all sat down.
That can't be good!" James responded with a cheeky grin. Siria kicked him and he rolled further down the hill.
"How did you get Professor Slughorn to agree to let you use the potions classroom with the purpose of rounding up a bunch of house-elves and making them sing?" Siria asked Remus and Peter.
"It wasn't easy at first!" James said while running back up the hill to sit down again. "But once we said it was you we wanted to surprise, he agreed."
"Really?" Siria asked. "How odd." Siria thought.
"Yeah. Maybe he thinks he can lure you into joining his house if he's nice to you?" James proposed, chuckling. "He is always extra polite with you!"
Siria shook her head with a smile. "That's highly unlikely. And not even possible, I'm sure!"
They sat and chatted for a while until they heard someone coming over the hill. Then they swiftly continued their plucking, until professor Slughorn said class was over.
.
Professor Slughorn had been sensible in making his students collect ingredients on the Friday that was Siria's birthday. For the following Monday, Hogwarts had indeed frozen over with a thick layer of ice. Snow followed soon after and Christmas was right around the corner.
On evening of the 17th of December, Siria was sitting in her bed, writing to Regulus, telling him that she didn't intend on returning home for Christmas. She had had a stomach-ache all day and a house-elf had served her supper in bed. She folded her letter as Lily entered the room.
"Hi." She said.
"Hi." Siria replied. They didn't take much notice of each other, as usual. Lily walked over to her bed and changed into her nightgown. She rubbed her arms, feeling the chill of the room. She put on a wool cardigan and went to put a log on the fire.
"How are you feeling?" She suddenly asked.
Siria was so taken aback by Lily even talking to her, it took her a bit longer to respond.
"Like rubbish." Siria answered. She thought she might as well be honest.
"Oh, I'm sorry!" Said Lily with a look of pity on her face.
Siria shrugged.
"What did Professor McGonagall say?" Lily then asked.
"Blimey, she is talkative today!?" Siria thought.
"She sent me to bed and said if the pain continues, I should go see Madam Pomfrey. I'm thinking of going as soon as I'm done here!" Siria said, gesturing towards her letter.
Lily nodded and poked the fire.
Siria got up and tied the letter to Artemis' leg. Siria closed the window after she flew away and turned around.
"Siria! Your leg!" Lily exclaimed as soon as Siria had turned.
Startled, Siria looked down and saw blood trickling down her leg, staining her pyjamas.
"Merlin's beard!?" Siria shrieked.
Lily ran over to her trunk.
Oh, shite! It's in my bed!" Siria yelped. A vast dark bloodstain had appeared where Siria had sat.
Lily ran over to Siria. "Grab some underwear, take this and go change." She handed Siria a box which said: Lil-lets. Siria looked at the bed, anxiously.
"I will take care of this!" Lily assured her, pointing at the bed. "You go take care of that!"
Siria dared not argue. She grabbed a pair of knickers and sprinted to the bathroom.
She quickly changed, took a washcloth to her leg and put on one of Lily's pads. She draped the pyjama trousers over the sink. Lily knocked. Siria opened the door, standing slightly behind it.
"Are you decent?" Lily asked as she poked her head through the door.
"Um… Sort of?." Siria answered.
Lily walked in, took the pyjama bottoms and grabbed the box of pads. "I'll take care of these as well!" She smiled reassuringly.
"Thanks." Siria said. She tried smiling back but it turned into a grimace.
Lily walked a couple of steps away from the bathroom, and then promptly returned.
"Property of Peter Pettigrew?" She read aloud from the tag in the trousers.
Siria gave a short nervous chuckle. "I… Borrowed them?"
Lily shook her head. "Well, when the house-elves have had them washed, you can borrow them again."
Siria then noticed that the while she was sitting down, the blood had stained the pyjama shirt as well.
"Oh, but for Godric's sake! There's blood on the shirt as well!" She howled.
"Oh! How about I find you some clothes?" Lily shouted from somewhere in the other room.
"That would be really nice! Thank you" Siria took of the shirt and put it in the sink. Just as she had done so, the realization hit her.
The only piece of casual clothing she had was those pyjamas! In the trunk were only her uniforms, some dresses and a couple of ridiculously elaborate nightgowns. What on earth was Lily going to find in her trunk? But just as this thought had struck her, she heard Lily from the other room.
"Um… Do you… Maybe, want to borrow something?"
"Yes… Please!" Siria answered.
Siria sighed with relief.
Mere seconds later, Lily knocked on the door. Siria answered, hiding slightly behind the door, as she was now only in her bra and knickers.
"Thank you!" Siria said.
"You're welcome!" Lily said, in a very genuine tone.
Siria quickly changed into the clothes Lily had handed her. It was a short pair of shorts and a peculiar multi-coloured t-shirt.
Siria stepped out of the bathroom and found a pair of house-elves leaving the room with what appeared to be Siria's bed sheets.
"There! All good!" Lily said, gesturing towards Siria's bed. Siria smiled.
"Thank you again! I really didn't know what to do!" She admitted.
"Don't mention it." Lily smiled.
Siria walked over to her bed to sit down. She couldn't help to notice Lily watching her.
"Did your mum never give you the "Period talk"?" Lily sat down on the edge of Siria's bed.
Siria stifled a snort. "Nope!"
Siria could vaguely remember her cousin Andromeda talking about period pains, but the thought of Walburga Black sitting down with her daughter and have a frank conversation about how the human body worked, was almost hysterical it was so implausible.
"Really?" Lily looked a mix between confused and worried. "Are you not close? Or is she just not comfortable with it? My older sister is like that!"
"You have a sister?" Siria hoped to avoid the first question. "Is she…?"
"A muggle? Yeah…"
Lily had a strange expression on her face. Siria reckoned that Lily's acceptance to Hogwarts had caused some sort of split between the sisters.
"It must be difficult."
"We'll get though it!" Lily sounded hopeful. "How about you? Any siblings?"
"I have a little brother! His name is Regulus. He'll be starting next year." Siria smiled.
"How lovely!" Lily smiled back.
An awkward silence ensued. Lily looked at Siria's bed, then her trunk, then Artemis' cage and finally Siria herself. She said nothing, she just studied her face.
"This may come as a weird question, and I hope you don't mind me asking! But are you from some sort of really posh wizard family?" She finally asked.
Siria gave a quick chuckle. "Has no one told you?"
Siria was surprised no one had informed Lily, the muggleborn, that she was in fact living with someone who is supposed to loathe the mere sight of her.
"Well… Severus has been dropping hints."
"Of course he has!" Siria thought. "Git."
"And there was that whole ordeal at the sorting. But I never really gave it much thought."
"Until now?" Siria asked.
"Siria. Your uniforms are tailored! You have all of the swankiest, most lavish equipment and supplies! You have a rare, endangered animal as your flipping pet! Your trunk is ebony and leather, lined inside with brocade! You only own silk stockings! The one pair of socks I found was definitely cashmere! Your only clothes consist of antique looking dresses and embroidered nightgowns! And there is just a lot of lace in that trunk! Most of the girls brought a blanket with them, but yours is Vicuña wool! I have a pair of sheepskin slippers. Yours have a heel and they're made of what? Satin?"
"Mulberry silk." Siria mumbled.
"Mulberry silk!" Lily sighed, but with a smile.
"Also just look at you!" She then said.
Siria cocked an eyebrow, confused.
"You look so high maintenance!"
Siria frowned.
"Not like that!" Lily looked as though she was trying to rephrase herself. "What I mean is, that even though you out in the fresh air, playing with snow, pulling pranks, faffing about and getting in well-deserved trouble. Your hair is still shiny, your skin is glowing and your nails are manicured!"
Siria looked down at her dirty fingernails.
"Okay, one nail is still well maintained!" Lily said, holding up Siria's right thumb. "And so are your toenails."
Siria wiggled her pedicured toes and grimaced. She didn't know how to respond.
Lily lay herself down on Siria's bed. "I should probably have pieced it together earlier! But better late than never."
"True!" Siria joined her. "And you are right! I am of the noble and most ancient house of Black." Siria finally told her.
"That sounds really… Pureblood!"
"It is!"
"Is there any real difference between purebloods, halfbloods and… Muggleborns?" She almost sounded sad.
"Purebloods are often more inbred!" Siria kept a jokingly tone. There was no reason to advertise her parents being related.
Lily giggled softly. She then turned serious again.
"Is that why your mum hasn't talked to you about your body?"
"What? The inbreeding?"
Lily laughed. "No. I mean the whole: Most timeworn and upmarket house of Black?"
"Timeworn and upmarket?!" Now it was Siria's turn to laugh.
They both laughed for a while before Siria answered.
"I suppose… She doesn't think it's proper. Or maybe she just doesn't feel like talking to me… about that. Or anything else."
"Is she not good at expressing her feelings?"
"If you heard the howler she sent to me a couple of months ago, you'd know she's tremendous at expressing her feelings, about everything." Siria tried to keep the tone light with a slight chuckle.
"I didn't hear." Lily acknowledged.
"Oh, you'll get the chance! It won't be the last I'll receive!
Lily smiled.
Siria turned on her side, to face Lily. "Can I make a proposal?"
Lily turned as well. "Sure!"
"You and I are going to argue again. I have no doubts on that matter! But can we make this room. Our dormitory. A conflict free room? We can argue, jinx, hex each other and what not, outside of this room. But as soon as we step inside here, we're at least civil towards each other. We don't have to be friendly but we're respectful and polite. I'd like a war-free zone, where I can relax and not worry about anything. I think it would be better, not just for you and me, but for Mary as well! No more tension, shouting-matches or awkward silences, she has to fix. And when we step out of that door, you can continue screaming at me for putting skele-gro in Snivellus' pumpkin juice and I can continue not to care!"
Lily scowled at the last comment, but quite obviously forced herself to brush it off.
"I'd like that!" She said.
They formally shook hands and got off the bed.
"You know, Mary and I were going to spend the evening with Marlene and Alice. Eat some sweets and have a girl's night before the holidays. Do you want to come? We could go see Madam Pomfrey first and get you some pain relief! What do you say?"
Siria thought about it. She really wanted to be with the lads, but they might question her about her pains and she was not really in the mood to explain the reason. Let alone to all three of them at once. She wouldn't know what to say either?
"Sure, that sounds great!" Siria smiled.
.
Siria's first ever girls night had been an overall good experience. The five of them had been sat in a circle by the fire. There was plenty of room as Marlene and Alice lived in a 5 bed dormitory. They were all in pyjamas and had blankets around them. All of the girls had been thrilled over Siria's shoebox of sweets. They spent the entire night talking and eating. It was nice. Not quite as exciting as being with the lads, but she got to know Lily and Mary better. She also found new friends in Marlene and Alice.
Marlene McKinnon was a pale, blonde girl with dark blue eyes. She was tall, slim and pretty. She had a twinkle in her eye and a husky Scottish accent.
Alice Fawley was short and round faced. She had short brown hair and hazel eyes. Sweet and ambitious, she was easy to like.
They were second years.
.
The next morning, after breakfast, Siria was approached by her concerned cousin Andromeda, who wished to hear if Siria felt any better. When Siria told the cause of her pains, Andromeda promptly hauled her into an empty classroom, where Siria was finally given "the period talk".
Siria left the classroom, not completely sure how she felt. Andromeda went back to her dorms to finish packing. Siria hadn't mentioned to her that she wasn't going home.
She walked back to the almost empty common room and threw herself onto the sofa in front of the fire. She was knackered. After leaving the girls she had run into Remus and she had found that to be as good a time as any, to try once again to convince him to stay over the holidays, but to no avail. He insisted he go home for Christmas.
"But you were home less than 3 weeks ago!" Siria had argued.
"I know but my mum is still feeling poorly, and my dad will be working late so he can't take care of her." Remus replied.
"He has to work late… At Christmas?" Siria asked sceptically.
Remus nodded, nervously.
"And on New years?" She looked at him attentively.
He nodded again.
Siria approached him slowly, almost threateningly. "Is there much call for experts on Non-Human Spirituous Apparitions over the holidays?"
Remus took a few steps back, looking as if he was struggling for words. "…Yes."
After that Siria had left the room, defeated.
Her thoughts were interrupted by James entering through the portrait.
"Hey, where have you been all morning?" Siria asked, as he threw himself on the sofa next to her. It was almost 11 and Siria hadn't seen James until now. Then again she had been locked in a classroom with her cousin for over an hour.
"Detention." James answered, yawning.
"Detention? Without me? How dare you!?" Siria acted offended.
James chuckled.
"Why did you have detention?" She then asked. Technically James getting detention was somewhat customary but usually that meant Siria would also have detention. And she was absolutely sure she didn't have any today.
"Remember last week, when we tie-dyed all of the owls?" James asked.
Siria chuckled. "Yes."
"Well, my detention for that consisted of helping Professor Slughorn brew Cure for Boils. Madam Pomfrey had run out. Which was fine, until I got bored. So I tried following the potion instructions in reverse order... You know, just to see what would happen!"
Siria snickered. "And what happened?"
"Just a minor explosion." He answered, nonchalantly.
Siria raised her eyebrows at him.
"Nothing serious, I swear! Nothing we haven't seen Mary Macdonald do countless times before! But I did have to come down to the dungeon today to clean up the mess I made." James shrugged.
"See, this is why you and I shouldn't be separated! You get in far more trouble when I'm not around to keep an eye on you!"
James chuckled. "If only you could make the professors understand that. They seem to think we're worse together!"
They were probably right, although Siria would never admit it. In this moment Remus and Peter entered the common room as well and sat down with Siria and James.
"All done packing?" Siria asked.
Remus and Peter nodded.
"Have you had time to pack yet?" Remus asked James.
"Change of plans!" James announced, standing up. "I'm staying here for Christmas."
"You're not going home?" Peter asked.
"At the very last minute, I convinced my parents to let me stay."
"What changed your mind? Or theirs rather?" Siria asked.
"Well, I told my parents a very sad story of a young girl, who did not wish to return home for Christmas. For her mother had written her a strict letter, complaining about the nature of the girl's school… Accommodations. So for not to be barked at and not to have to wear dresses every day for the next 3 weeks, the girl chose to spend her break at school, in the cold mountains of Scotland, alone. Thus I… Or "Prince Charming" as I from now on shall be known, willingly offered myself to keep our best lady-friend company over the holidays. My parents were very touched by this tale and approved that I stay here!"
James threw himself into Siria's lap after his grand soliloquy. She pushed him off.
"So basically, you told your parents that I got a nasty howler and they let you stay because they pitied me?" Siria asked. As much as she had been entertained by James' theatrical speech, she had been less keen on that element.
"No, I didn't share that detail. I simply said you were staying and I wanted to stay too! But that doesn't make for a great monologue, does it?" James smiled at her, reassuringly. Siria reluctantly smiled back.
"Who's Prince Charming?" She then asked.
.
"By the way, my mum and dad have invited us for dinner on the 21st." James said after Siria and he had waved goodbye to Remus and Peter. They were headed to the great hall to have a game of wizard chess before supper.
"… Pardon?" Siria asked, confused.
"Since I am not returning home for Christmas. My parents have sent notice to professor McGonagall that they wish to have dinner with me in Hogsmeade on the 21st. My mum insisted I bring you." James explained.
"In Hogsmeade? Is that even allowed for first years?" Siria asked.
"Usually not. My parents must have made a good case to old Minnie!"
"All right, but why do they want me to come?"
"I may have mentioned you in some letters… They want to meet you. And I could hardly let my best friend be alone for an entire evening. You'd be miserable without me!" James grinned.
Siria threw a chess piece at him and they both laughed.
.
On the night of the dinner, Siria burst into James' room barefoot and with tangled hair, wearing nothing but her dressing gown.
"I don't know what to wear!" She complained.
"Clothes! That would be my suggestion." James said casually.
"I'm serious! I want to make a decent impression, but I'd really rather not wear a dress! What to do?" Siria sighed and threw herself onto the bed belonging to Remus, which she had been sleeping in, since the beginning of the holiday.
James giggled. He looked around for a bit, scratching the back of his head. He opened his trunk, pulled out a pair of dark brown trousers and threw them at Siria.
"Wear these." He said.
Siria examined the trousers. She reckoned they would fit.
"I can borrow these?"
"Yeah. I won't be wearing them." He said, gesturing to the black trousers he was wearing.
"Thank you!" She grinned and jumped up to hug James.
"All right, all right!" James laughed and quickly hugged her back. "Now go get dressed! We have to leave in 20 minutes."
Siria sprinted back to her own room. She hurriedly put on the trousers and indeed they fit. Not perfectly, but it would do. She then put on a white dress shirt. It wasn't ideal but she certainly felt better than she would have in a dress. She then dragged a brush through her hair and quickly pinched her cheeks to get some colour into them, laced up her boots, grabbed her cape and ran downstairs to meet James.
"So how does this work?" Siria asked James as they exited the common room together. "Are your parents coming to pick us up?"
"I think we'll be escorted to Hogsmeade. I don't reckon we'll be allowed to walk to Hogsmeade, on our own, in December, at this time of night." James answered.
"Point taken."
They walked down to the main entrance of Hogwarts, where they were met by none other than Hagrid.
"'Ello there!" Hagrid said.
"Hello Hagrid." They said in unison.
"So you're ready to go then?" He asked.
Siria and James looked at each other, confused.
You're taking us?" Siria asked.
"Yes. Professor Dumbledore asked me this morning, he did. Very happy to do it, I told him." Hagrid grinned.
Siria and James grinned as well. Siria and James had gotten to know Hagrid well during their numerous detentions. The first time for giving dungbombs to Peeves and most recently for sneaking into the school laundry room, to dye the robes belonging to Mr Pringle – The Hogwarts caretaker, a traumatic shade of pink. They could not have asked for a better escort.
.
Siria was captivated by the picturesque scene that was Hogsmeade. The sky was clear and full of stars. The snow fell beautifully over the village, which was fully decorated for the holidays. Hagrid left them in the middle of High Street and told them, the Potters would accompany them to the Hogwarts gate after dinner and from there he would lead them back into the castle.
James and Siria thought they might entertain themselves by doing a little window shopping, while they waited. They soon settled outside of Spintwitches, a shop selling sporting goods.
"Do you know where we'll be eating?" Siria asked James. She turned away from the window and looked down the street. She could see an inn called: The Three Broomsticks. Down the other way she saw a sign that read: Brews and Stews Café. It had to be one of them.
"I don't." James answered, turning away from the window as well. "I guess we'll find out when the family gets-Oh there they are!"
Siria followed James' gaze to an elderly couple standing further down the street. James waved at them and the couple waved back. They both looked to be somewhere in their seventies or eighties.
"Oh, your grandparents are joining us? Siria asked. She grinned and waved at the couple. They waved back and signalled Siria and James, to come join them
James suddenly flushed red and looked at the ground, scratching the back of his head. "Ehm… No… Those are my parents."
Now it was Siria's turn to blush. "Oh…" She said, ashamed.
There was a second of awkward silence.
"I'm so sorry!" Siria said quickly, hoping to defuse the tension.
"It's all right! You're not the first to make that assumption and you won't be the last either… It's okay, really!" He bit his lip. He did sound sort of convincing but Siria wasn't persuaded.
"I know they're… Older, than most parents. Even by wizarding standards… But-… It-… I mean I-…" James trailed of. He looked like he was struggling for the right words.
"Have I ever told you, I'm my own third cousin?" Siria said casually.
James looked at her, a puzzled look on his face. "Pardon…"
"My mother and father were-well… Presumably still are second cousins. My brother is also my third cousin."
"So…" James had a look on his face as if he was doing a difficult piece of math. "Your parents are second cousins once removed to you and your brother."
Siria nodded.
"Wow… I knew all pureblood families were related in some way, but…"
"I am thoroughly inbred!" Siria said with a small touch of sarcasm, just to lift the mood a bit. Siria and James looked at each other. Siria giggled slightly. So did James, till they both started laughing heartily. Siria took James' hand.
"You have absolutely nothing to be embarrassed about." She smiled and nodded her head towards James' parents who were slowly walking to meet them. James smiled back at her, visibly more relaxed.
They began walking towards Mr and Mrs Potter.
As soon as they caught up with each other Mrs Potter pulled James into a hug.
"Hello, love." She said as she hugged him.
"Hi mum." Was his muffled response.
"Good to see you son!" Mr Potter said as he then padded James on the back and pulled min into a hug as well.
"Good to see you too!" James took a step back. "Mum, dad, this is my friend Siria!"
James put his hand on Siria's back and pushed her forward. Siria gave a small curtsey. Mrs Potter put out her hand and Siria shook it.
"Hello dear. I'm Adele, James' mother. It's lovely to meet you.
Adele Potter stood about 5 ft. 9 in. Her eyes were hazel, like James'. Her face was lined with wrinkles but her smile made up for it. Her hair fell in large luxuriant curls over her left shoulder. It was a pretty silver shade. She wore a pine green dress and a vanilla coloured cape.
"Lovely to meet you too!" Siria said, smiling.
"I'm Henry. Good to finally put a face to the main character in James' letters." Mr Potter smirked and shook Siria's hand firmly.
Henry Potter was about an inch taller than his wife. His hair too was silver, hairline slightly receding. His face was craggy but handsome. He had brown eyes and a broad smile. He was wearing burgundy robes and a mustard coloured scarf.
James looked a tad embarrassed by his father's remark. Siria thought nothing of it. She reckoned James was probably also the most mentioned person in her letters to Regulus and her uncle Alphard.
"Shall we go in then?" Mrs Potter asked and beckoned to the inn down the street.
Siria and James nodded and followed the Potters.
The inn was crowded and a bit smoky, but warm and welcoming. The four of them sat down at a table not far from a fireplace. Mr Potter helped his wife with her cape and gestured her to sit down first. Siria started to take her cape off when James reached to help her.
"Allow me." He said with a playful smirk.
"What a gentleman!" Siria said, batting her eyelashes at him.
"It's how I was raised!" He said, hanging Siria's cape on a nearby coat stand. Mr and Mrs Potter smiled at the kids mimicking them.
"Now sit down you two!" Mr Potter said, acting stern. James and Siria obeyed. Just as they sat down, a young, beautiful barmaid with big, blonde curls approached the table.
"Good evening. Welcome to Three Broomsticks. What can I get you?" She greeted.
Mr Potter turned towards a menu, hanging on the wall. "I'll have the turkey leg and a glass of mead."
"I'll have the Shepard's pie and some gillywater." Said Mrs Potter.
"Fish and Chips, please. And a butterbeer." James ordered.
"Erm… I'll have the turkey leg as well, and a butterbeer, please." Said Siria. She tried her best not to sound nervous. She'd never been to a restaurant before, so she wasn't clear on the etiquette.
"All right. I'll be right back with your drinks." The barmaid smiled, her green eyes twinkling.
Mr Potter turned to Siria and James. "So tell us, how is school?"
Siria and James looked at each other. "Fine" They said.
"'Get in much trouble?" He then asked.
Siria and James looked at each other again, as they both flushed red. Mr Potter laughed. Mrs Potter finally got them engaged when she brought up the subject of flying lessons and quidditch. Suddenly there was no shutting up either Siria or James.
.
"May I tempt you with some dessert?" The barmaid asked as they had finished their food. "We have some freshly baked apple pie."
"Well that sounds lovely!" Mrs Potter said. "Apple pie, anyone?" She asked.
The rest of the table nodded.
"Four slices, please. And some hot cocoa?" She looked at Siria and James. They nodded.
"And we'd like some tea. Any kind you have is fine." She then finally told the barmaid.
"So, Siria! Whereabouts are you from?" Mr Potter asked.
Siria stiffened. She had known she at some point would be asked personal questions, but she was still not comfortable with the notion.
"I'm from London." She answered.
"Where in London?" Mrs Potter asked.
"Erm… Islington, I believe it's called. I'm not that familiar with the muggle names and… Stuff." Siria said.
The barmaid returned to the table with their pie and drinks. Siria hoped this would distract the Potters. It didn't.
"Do you have any siblings?" Mrs Potter asked, pouring milk into her tea.
"I have a little brother."
"Oh, how old is he?" Mr Potter asked.
"He'll be eleven here on the 29th."
"So he'll be going to Hogwarts next year?" Mrs Potter asked.
"Yes, he will." Siria answered. "Okay… So far, so good." She thought.
"Tell me, what do your parents do?" Mr Potter then inquired.
Oh shite.
"Erm… My mother stays at home… And my father works for the ministry." Siria answered.
At least she thought so. Honestly Siria had no idea where her father went every day, when he left the house. She had always figured his work had something to do with safekeeping. At least that would make sense to her, considering the ludicrous amount of security spells he had put on their home. Or maybe he was just paranoid? He didn't strike her to be the particularly paranoid type. Then again she didn't really know him. She'd probably never know.
"What department?" Mr Potter asked. "Maybe I've run into him?"
"I don't kn- Remember. Sorry." Siria pushed her pie around the plate, hoping they had run out of questions.
Siria sensed that both Mr and Mrs Potter were about to say something. That was until James beat them to it.
"So, I hear the Cambodian civil war is getting worse!" He almost shouted.
Siria snorted and then laughed at James' abrupt change of subject. It did certainly distract Mr and Mrs Potter and that was all Siria had hoped for.
.
The dinner had gone better than Siria had expected, she thought, as James and her were walking back towards Gryffindor tower that night. After they had finished their dessert, they all went outside and did some window shopping, like Siria and James had done earlier. While James and Mr Potter were caught up in conversation about the old BSA broomsticks, Mrs Potter had dragged Siria to the side.
"Siria, dear…" She had said with a smile. "I just want you to know that my husband and I don't care about your surname."
"You know?" Siria asked, uneasily.
Mrs Potter nodded. "I do hope you'll forgive us for not telling you. We wished to figure out what kind of person you were, if you'd be poor company for our son."
Siria nodded. She understood.
"I hope you don't think either of us to be dishonest or unpleasant, when we asked you questions on your background. We were merely curious, but it became clear that you were uncomfortable and both Henry and I were about to change the subject, until James kindly did it for us." Mrs Potter smiled in direction of her son. "You're a lovely girl, Siria. It's obvious that James cares for you and you for him."
"I do!" Siria said, smiling. "He's my best friend."
"And you his. He has assured me that more than once, in his letters" Mrs Potter smiled at Siria.
She then turned more serious. "I am familiar with the workings of your family, Siria. And it is with that in mind that I'd like to tell you…" She stopped and put her hands on Siria's shoulders. "That If you ever need a breathing space… For any reason. Our door will be open."
Siria was slightly taken aback. "Why are you offering me this?" She asked.
"I was once a young pure-blood lady like you. I remember the pressure and the expectations… And I have met your mother."
"Oh."
"I hope I don't offend you for thinking, she must be difficult to live with."
"I'm not offended! She is!"
Siria looked at James and Mr Potter. From the way Mr Potter was flailing his arms around, she could only assume they were talking about quidditch again. She smiled.
"I hope to see more of you, Siria." Mrs Potter said to her, squeezing Siria's hand. "You and James, take care of each other."
"Don't worry. We will."
.
"Well that wasn't so bad." James said, referring to the dinner. "I think I can safely say that you made a great impression."
"I think it went well, as well." Siria smiled, she hadn't told James about her conversation with Mrs Potter yet. She'd do it later.
"You might even make it on the Christmas card list this year!" James joked.
"It is my greatest ambition to make it on that list!"
James snorted.
"But seriously, I adore your parents!" Siria assured him.
"I can guarantee they adored you as well. Just like I do!" James said, throwing his arm around Siria's shoulders.
"Why, James! Are you beginning to care for me?" Siria teased.
"You insult me!" James answered, holding a hand to his chest in mock astonishment. "That you could even imply that I feel nothing less than the purest of love for you!"
"Oh, James! I thought you'd never find the courage to tell me!" Siria said, wiping away non-existent tears.
"Does this mean you feel the same way? James looked at her with ridiculously hopeful eyes.
"Yes, James! I love you too!"
James gave a great sigh and swooned. Siria laughed as he hit the floor in front of her.
Knob head.
.
James woke Siria up on Christmas morning by jumping on her bed – Well, Remus' bed, technically.
"Wake up! It's Christmas!"
"Go away…" Siria mumbled into her pillow.
"But it's Christmas!"
"'Don't care… You kept me awake till-*Yawn*… 4'o clock last night… Let me sleeeeep…"
James stole the pillow and whacked her over the head with it.
"Hey!" She exclaimed and threw it back at him.
He ducked and grabbed her mattress to flip her off the bed. She rolled on to the floor and immediately sprinted after him, but he was already out of the room and halfway down the stairs to the common room. She chased after him a bit, but he was quicker and took shelter behind a sofa across the room from her.
"You're a muppet, you know that?" She told him.
"I'm aware. But I got you out of bed, didn't I?" He winked at her.
"I'll have my revenge!" This statement would perhaps have been more threatening, if Siria hadn't been yawning loudly as she said it.
"Oh, I'm trembling with fear!"
Perhaps he should have been trembling. Both he and Siria knew that he might be a lot faster than her, but she was undeniably stronger.
"Now go get dressed and bring your presents to my dormitory." He told her.
She answered him with a very rude hand-gesture, but climbed the stairs to her own dormitory all the same.
10 minutes later Siria was sitting across from James in his bed, with a mass of presents each.
"Good haul this year." James remarked.
"I haven't had this many presents since I was toddler…" Siria said, thoroughly impressed by the size of her pile.
Siria received a box of Exploding Bonbons from Peter, a Holyhead Harpies scarf(her preferred quidditch team) from James, A copy of The Tales of Beedle the Bard from Remus(after her questioning who Prince Charming was, she mentioned to him that she had never read them), A pair of brown, furry slippers(that thankfully didn't have a heel) from Hagrid, Her uncle Alphard had given her a camera, Andromeda had given her a large Gryffindor banner, Mary had sent her a copy of Quidditch through the ages(as she had accidently sat Siria's copy on fire) and a box of lucky charms, Fabian and Gideon had sent her Stink Pellets, and finally she had received three pairs of trousers from Mr and Mrs Potter(Along with a Christmas card, of course).
Nothing from Regulus, perhaps he had been barred from sending Siria anything, perhaps he had run out of pocket money, Siria didn't know, but she forgave him. Nothing from her parents, as usual. Nothing from Narcissa, Bellatrix or their parents either, as to be expected. And nothing from any other member of the Black family, not that Siria had expected anything. She hadn't received anything from Lily either, but again she hadn't expected to.
"Thanks for the book, by the way. It'll definitely come in handy." James said, disturbing Siria's thoughts. She had given him a book called: Madcap Magic for Wacky Warlocks. It was supposed to be filled with tricks and humorous spells.
"You're welcome. And thanks for the scarf!" Siria answered.
"I actually have another present for you." He said, pulling something out of his trunk.
"Another? Why?"
"I thought it might be useful." He said handing her a small paper-bag. "I didn't have time to wrap it. Or… I had time. I just couldn't be bothered." He smirked.
"How thoughtful of you!"
"You know me!"
In the paper-bag was an old mirror.
"…I don't get it." Siria admitted.
"It's a two-way mirror. Just say my name into it, you'll appear in mine and I'll be able to talk to you in yours. It works the other way 'round too, of course." He smiled and pulled an identical mirror out of his trunk.
"Wicked!"
"Here, I'll show you." He held his mirror up in front of him. "Siria." He said firmly.
A second late James' grinning face appeared in Siria's mirror.
"Hello" He said. The greeting echoed from the mirror less than half a second later than the actual James had said it.
"Brilliant! Where did you get this?" Siria asked, amazed.
"From dad. You'll have to ask him where he got it. Speaking of my parents, what did you get from them?"
"The answer to my trouser-woes!" She answered cheerfully, showing him the trousers. There was one black pair, one blue pair and one brown pair.
"Great! Then I can have my pair back." He smirked. "All you need now is new pyjamas, so you don't have to nick Peter's."
"Don't forget shirts, so I don't have to steal Remus'" She chuckled.
.
It was possibly the best Christmas and New Year that Siria had ever had. Remus and Peter soon returned and classes were to start again. There was still one thing which needed doing however… Siria's revenge on James.
The convenient thing about being alone in your dormitory, is that you can openly brew Wideye Potion without having to explain yourself. Or so Siria discovered. On the last night of the holiday, at dinner Siria had spiked James' pumpkin juice with the potion, causing James to not sleep the entire night. The following day James struggled to keep awake in classes and finally fell asleep with his head in his Steak and Kidney pie at supper. His entire sleep schedule was messed up for a week.
That'll teach him.
Plonker.
I'd like to give a very big thank you to: TheMessrs for your two lovely reviews. They warmed my heart:)
And to runswithlolwolves for making me blush and wheeze with laughter! I keep your jar of fan-girl tears on a shelf in my bedroom, next to my school reward for best hair 11/12. I feel they compliment each other well!