Chapter Eight

Ava had not believed what he had said about it not being her fault but she thanked him anyway and walked across the hall to her room to put together a bag of things she would need for her mission and to stay at James' house.

Ava entered her living room, unnoticed by her three friends, with just a small rucksack strewn across her shoulder. She cleared her throat to draw their attention to her and told them she was ready to leave.

"That all you're bringing? I thought girls were supposed to pack about six tons of belongings of theirs whenever they go on trips?" Sirius asked.
"I'm a witch, you idiot. It's a undetectable expansion charm" Ava replied a little bluntly. Feeling annoyed at what she believed to be such a silly question.
"Well you'll be pleased to know it works!" Commented Sirius with a grin growing across his face. This actually made Ava smile slightly, her cheek muscles felt stiff from her having such a stoic facial expression for so long. Through all that had happened in a few short hours, Ava had forgot that earlier that same very day she was smiling and laughing with her two muggle best friends. That had seemed like a life time ago for her now.

"That's my girl, I can see you smiling. You don't have to hide it, We all know and accept that I am the most humorous person in the room." He continued. Sirius had seemed to have slipped back into his role of being the clown for everyone. This made the air in the room a little lighter, everyone was grateful for that.
"I object to that Mr Padfoot!" James declared.
"On what grounds?" Asked the cocky, handsome Marauder.
"On the grounds that you are a dim witted fool!" Retorted James.
"I am offended, Prongs. You are just jealous of my intellect and my large-" By now Ava was happily laughing at the two bickering boys. Keeping up the cold attitude was hard for Ava to do. She found that even though she could hold a grudge longer than anyone she knew, it was difficult for her to be openly cold, cruel or mean towards anyone. Especially in the presence of James Potter and Sirius Black.
"Come on you two, we'd better be getting back by now" Lily interrupted. The three Gryffindor's, whom were sat down, stood up.
"Okay Sirius you're going to have to apparate Ava in and I'm going to apparate my lovely Lily in" James informed them all.
"Urgh, get a room you too" Ava said feeling a little sick at the sweetness of the two of them, as James chuckled at Lily's crimson blush-she had never been good with compliments.-
"Why must this dolt have to apparate me into your house?" Questioned Ava indicating to Sirius.
"It's an old family house with complicated protection wards, they only let family members to apparate in with people." James told her.

Ava noted the way he had said family members, she knew the two were incredible close but she never knew that they considered themselves brothers. She was happy that Sirius had someone he was proud to call his family. She understood that Sirius resented his family in every way possible and was deeply hurt to learn that his younger brother-Regulus- had taken the path in life their parents always hoped their sons would take. That path being full of dark magic and the egotistical importance of 'pure blood'.

Sirius walked over to stand next to Ava and offered her his arm.
"I shall ignore your petty attempt to insult me. For I am better than such things. Whenever you're ready my Lady." Sirius said rather pompously, ducking his head to look his bizarre silver eyes directly into her hazel ones. Ava laughed at his antics, glad to have some kind of distraction, and hooked her arm with his. She then closed her eyes, kept her mind blank and waited for the inevitable pull behind her stomach and the nauseating feeling that told her she was apparating. Ava was then pressed very hard from all directions; she could not breathe, her eyeballs were being forced back into her head and her ear-drums were, what could only be described as, exploding. Although she had perfected apparition during her lessons at Hogwarts, it was her lest favourite mode of transport due to the agonizingly uncomfortable air to it. Once the pain had subsided and her feet felt to be firmly on solid ground, she opened her eyes.

The house that stood before her took her breath away.