Here's the next chapter! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: This was made because I need to retain some sanity as I slowly pass through Post-Potter Depression.
I didn't tell Alice or Marlene about my thinking about going to Hogsmeade with James. I knew that if I did, Marlene would crack nonstop jokes about it and Alice would giggle uncontrollably every time she saw James. No, it was best to keep this to myself.
More news reached us of disappearing wizards and Muggles alike. I noticed, as did many others, that most of the witches and wizards that were missing or, in some cases, found dead, were Muggleborns. It seemed that You-Know-Who was getting stronger everyday and that was most definitely not a comforting thought. Rumors also spread like wildfire of Slytherins who had already joined him, Bellatrix Black being one, but that didn't actually surprise anyone. She was so into the Dark Arts, it's a wonder she hadn't joined him earlier.
Of course, I also heard rumors that Severus had joined as well. Well, if he has joined, it's none of my business and it's not like I care. It doesn't surprise me, not after who he hangs out with. And it doesn't help when I keep running into him all over the castle, shooting death glares at me, as if he knows that I know he's joined You-Know-Who and is now a Death Eater. Our most recent encounter was at a little party hosted by Slughorn that I wasn't able to avoid, like I had done all of his other ones.
James and Sirius had been invited, but James had scheduled Quidditch practice for that night and Sirius claimed he had fallen behind in Charms and had an essay he need to write. Those were the only other Gryffindor's invited, so I was left alone with the Ravenclaw's, Hufflepuff's, and Slytherin's. It was going to be a lovely night.
Needless to say, I was thoroughly disgruntled at their skiving off the party because, even though they were complete and utter morons, they knew, I had to admit, how to have a good laugh. If they were going, it would make the party that much more bearable because then I'd be laughing and having a good time, not sitting in an awkward silence, listening to Slughorn's incessant questioning about the end of mine and Severus's friendship, which he always brought up. And his constant reminder of us no longer being friends always made me feel uneasy and, on the off chance that I looked at Severus, he always looked tense and would avoid looking in my direction.
On the night of the party, I gritted my teeth and walked alone down to Slughorn's room, where the party was being held, and braced myself for the onslaught of questions.
"…inseparable and now you two stand across the room," Slughorn was saying, cutting through my blank reverie as I stared at the untouched food on my plate. He still sounded baffled even though Severus and I had nearly a two year silence going. "I cannot imagine what could have caused this."
I shot a glance at Severus, who was determinedly staring at the stone wall as if it were the most fascinating thing he had ever seen in this world.
"Lily, you must tell us why you are no longer the friends you were," Slughorn pressed.
I let out a sigh and fed him the answer I always gave him when I gave in to his pestering.
"Times change, people change," I said with a shrug. I saw Severus glance at me out of the corner of my eye. "We just went our separate ways. It happens, sir."
"Indeed it does," Slughorn agreed wisely. "Such a shame, though. What a pair you were in my Potions class! Ah well. Tell me, Avery, what are you plans for the Christmas holidays?"
And just like that, I was out of the spotlight.
Sagging in my seat, I let out a sigh of relief just as Andromeda Black, who had been seated beside me, leaned towards me and whispered, "Nosy old git."
I smiled and said, "Yes indeed."
"As if it's his business," she said with a sniff.
"I hardly see how it is," I agreed while Avery went into detail of his plans for Christmas with his family and very important Ministry officials.
Eyes roving around the people sitting at the long table, my eyes landed on Regulus Black, sitting only a few seats down from me. He was quietly prodding his turkey, paying no attention whatsoever to the conversation around him.
He looked very similar to Sirius, except that his skin was paler and he looked scruffy with the small beard he had started to grow. His hair was identical to Sirius's, but shorter. Regulus was also a slimmer build than Sirius which made him, even I had to grudgingly admit, a very good Seeker.
At that moment, he lifted his eyes as if he felt my scrutiny and I dropped my own to my still loaded plate of turkey and ham.
Finally, after what felt like hours later, the bell chimed nine o'clock and Slughorn bade us goodnight.
Dragging my feet, I made my way to the portrait of the Fat Lady, feeling so incredibly exhausted from the night before where James and I had been up half the night, patrolling corridor's due to Dumbledore's orders and warnings that someone may try to enter Hogwarts.
I rolled my eyes and then let out a groan. I still had my Transfiguration essay that was due tomorrow to write.
After giving the password to the Fat Lady, I went to gather my bag and then went back to the Common Room and found an empty table in a corner away from the thick of the crowd of rowdy Gryffindor's.
I glanced around the room while I pulled out the necessary things for me to write my essay and I saw James and Sirius practically strangling Remus as they laughed loudly at a joke I assumed only they would get. Peter was nowhere in sight.
Shrugging, I began on my essay and, pretty soon, the noise of the Common Room faded into silence.
Much later, as the clock chimed two in the morning, I sat back in my seat, tossed my quill down, and yawned, flexing a very cramped hand, as I read over my completed essay.
"Done," I said aloud to myself, smiling slightly as I began to put my things away.
"You're still up?"
Turning in my seat, I saw a very sleepy Alice standing on the stairs, looking at me with bleary eyes.
"Essay," I replied shortly.
She yawned in response and said something unintelligible before she slouched back up to the dormitory. I heard the door shut and I shut my eyes, breathing slowly.
No! I thought, my eyes snapping open. It would not due to fall asleep down here.
Shoving the rest of my belongings into my bag, I shouldered it, made my way quietly into the dormitory, dressed for bed, and finally fell asleep.
"How was old Sluggy's party?" Marlene asked the next morning over breakfast as I poured myself a second cup of coffee.
"Same as ever," I replied with a yawn, which I tried, quite unsuccessfully, to stifle. "He kept pestering me about Severus, though. It was highly annoying."
"This is Slughorn we're talking about," Alice pointed out. "He's a nosy old git."
That phrase jogged my memory.
"Do you know Andromeda Black?" I asked the two suddenly. Marlene and Alice looked at me with wide eyes and then they both nodded slowly.
"Sure, who doesn't?" Marlene asked. "Why?"
"She seems different from her sisters," I commented.
"She is," Alice said before taking a quick sip of her pumpkin juice. "I've talked to her a few times. She's quite nice, which is off, given that she's related to those two monsters."
"She's almost like Sirius," Marlene added. "Not at all like her family."
"Yet, she's still in Slytherin," I noted.
Marlene shrugged.
"It happens."
We ate the rest of breakfast in silence and then, as we were heading to double Potions with the Slytherins, we passed a group of them which held both Severus and Andromeda.
Severus looked stonily past while Andromeda offered up a small smile, which I returned in kind.
"Yeah, nothing at all like her family," I laughed as we let the group pass before we descended the stairs to Potions.
Not everyone is what they seem.
That sudden thought flitted through my mind but, before I could even begin to understand what it could have meant, class had begun and all of my attention was needed for the potion we were making.
It wasn't until later that I thought about it again.
Not everyone is what they seem.
On the way to the Great Hall to dinner, I passed Andromeda once more and, again, she smiled.
No indeed, I thought with a wry smile as I watched her take a seat near Severus, who was frowning deeply into his food. Everyone is not what they seem.
Well, I certainly hope you liked this chapter! It was very wordy, wasn't it? Ha! I hope that's okay. I'm actually pleased that it's wordy. I tend to gravitate towards dialogue. Not much dialogue here, so...sorry about that. But anyways...I hope you liked this! Please review! I quite like them! :)
~TheTragedyIs13~