A/N: So let's just pretend that I didn't abandon this story for a whole year before deciding that I should probably come back to it. Any well, to anyone still reading this thanks so much 3 ~ Aisling

Katherine's POV

Katherine's fingers danced over her stomach, smoothing over the elegant blue silk fabric that made up her dress, it was smooth and shiny and made her look like a princess despite the fact that she felt like she belonged at the bottom of the black lake.

Her maid, a frail squib woman who didn't seem to have an ounce of meat on her body, circled behind her, tying a necklace made out of clear stones that seemed to glow in the light of her room around her neck as she examined herself in the mirror quietly. She had gained a small amount of weight, most likely due to the fact that she had barely left her room all break, the dress was tight around her waist, her mother would have quite a few words to say about it but as for now, that wasn't the most pressing concern on her mind. The Blacks would be arriving any minute and as much as she had bickered and whined her mother had been quite insistent on having her attend the dinner.

She slid her bare feet into a pair of flats, the same blue color as her dress. before shooing away her maid and leaving the comfort of her bedroom rather hesitantly.
Her mother's words from the morning still hung around in her head, mocking her almost, "That school has made you soft." it really had. She had entered her first year an indifferent girl who faced the world one step at a time and now she barely left her room and hid from the boy who had been her best friend only weeks ago.

The front door opened with a loud groan that was audible throughout the entire Jameson household, she could hear the many voices echoing in the foyer in greeting as the Blacks no doubt entered the household to be greeted by her darling parents.

With a deep sigh, she thought back to the morning when she had laid in bed thinking about the many outcomes that could happen tonight, her feet led her down the stairs, her hand softly grazing the carved banisters that lead down the stairs. There they stood, her mother and father leading Mr. and Mrs. Black into the living room, no doubt for drinks that would leave the average person completely incoherent, leaving Regulus and Sirius standing there in the foyer. The two of them stood out against the marbles floors like a penny in a pile of quarters, they were both dressed in dark gray, almost black suits.

Right before she opened her mouth to most likely say something incredibly embarrassing that would just further the stiff atmosphere in the room, her older brother Dean pushed past her on the stairs, moving to clap Sirius on the back, making way for the boy brightening up quite a bit before engaging in a conversation that seemed to heavily contain the sentences 'wonkos glitter bombs' and 'puking pastels'.

She awkwardly continued to stand there, watching as the seconds passed for a minute or two before deciding to start up a conversation with the youngest Black who stood behind the other two, almost cowering in the shadows, his dark curls hung over his eyes, almost in a veil like manner and his hands almost nervously gripped the cuffs of her suit.

"Hi Reggie," Katherine said, sending him a tight smile as she crossed her hands in front of her stomach. She watched humorously as he recoiled jokingly at the use of the seasoned nickname, She'd been calling him that ever since they'd meet a year prior.

"Hey Katherine," He said, moving out of the shadows just the slightest bit, his pale skin seeming to be translucent in the foyers lighting, coming more towards her and away from the other two boys, "How are you? It's been too long."

One of her hands subconsciously played with a loose curl, green eyes glancing towards Sirius before answering the boys' question. "I'm good, Reggie. Getting ready for the new quidditch season. How about you?" It wasn't a complete lie, she did find herself anxiously waiting for the new season to start just so that she'd have a reason to get out of bed.

He opened his mouth to answer her question but was swiftly interrupted by her mother's call of beckoning, letting the four of them know that dinner was about to be served. Regulus nodded at her, hinting that they should continue the conversation later as the young wizards moved into the dining room.

The room was almost entirely made out of windows, starting at one side and going all the way onto the ceiling in wide panels that displayed the oceanside before them. The dining table alone stretched throughout the whole room, long enough to fit just about ten people on each side. A vase of flowers was placed directly in the center, blood red roses that looked as though they would smell like pure bliss despite the fact that they weren't fragrant.

Katherine trailed all of the others into the room, pausing for only a moment to readjust her necklace in one of the halls mirrors before entering the room. Her heart seemed to skip a beat as she noticed that the only seat left was, inconveniently, next to Sirius. She sent a tight smile his way as she slid into the seat next to him but he gave no indication that he so much as saw it as he was still immersed in conversation with her brother.

"The first course is served," Her father announced as plates laden with richly flavored food floated out of the kitchen and landed on the table in front of each person, to any muggle watching it would be like watching an amazing magic show, trays of food and goblets of water glided through the air as though they were being carried by invisible people.

Conversation halted for a few minutes as everyone laid themselves upon the food, Katherine took her time cutting each piece of chicken before placing it into her mouth, a heavy silence filled the room, it was so tense she could've sworn she could feel it tingling on her skin.

"Oh, Victoria you've simply outdone yourself this time." Mrs. Black said, her thin lips somehow spread even thinner as she placed a single pea into her mouth. Katherine watched as her mother accepted the praise as if she had made the meal herself and it hadn't been crafted by a team of house elves working day and night in the kitchens.

She spent the majority of the meal by herself, choosing not to forcefully engage in someone else's conversation. By the end of the meal, everyone gradually left the table, leaving Sirius and Katherine alone. She thought about what to say IF she should say anything that is.

Katherine uncrossed her legs and started to get up only to be stopped by a word.

Just one word.

She glanced over at Sirius, his blue eyes focused on her sharoky. "Hi."