Disclaimer. I do not own anything except my original characters. Enjoy the chapter everyone!
As the months crawled on and the grounds of Hogwarts were covered in a blanket of snow, I found it easier and easier dealing with the Dementors that patrolled the grounds. Ever since I had confessed my feelings for the creatures to George, he and Fred made it a priority to always be with me whenever I was on the grounds. My heart flipped at the gesture, seeing just how much I meant to the twins.
However, I didn't really need it much seeing as I was stuck most of the time in the library studying for the exams. I wanted to do well on them, especially with my desire to join the auror department. No one, beside my friends, the Weasleys, Harry and Hermione knew of my dream to become an auror. I knew how it would look to most. A death eater's daughter trying to infiltrate to take it down from the inside, to leak critical information to dark wizards. But who my mother was was what motivated me the most, what drove me in this direction. I had seen firsthand the damage her brutality and hatred had caused. I saw Neville Longbottom, who in the beginning went out of his way to avoid me, still look at me with a sense of despair behind his eyes. I didn't blame him, my mother was the reason his parents were in St Mungos, unable to even recognize their own son.
"My goodness are my eyes deceiving me or are you getting dressed to go into Hogsmead with us." I rolled my eyes, tossing a pillow at Angelina, who easily ducked it, laughing with Katie. We were the last 3 in the girls dormitory, everyone else already heading off for the annual trip.
"Why yes Angelina I think she is! She is actually stepping foot out of that library and having an actual social life like a normal teenage girl." Katie continued, both girls laughing as I pulled my hair into a ponytail.
"Oh sod of both of you. I thought I would take a break from the library today, maybe do some shopping, hang out with my friends." I reached up, applying a thin layer of lip gloss on my lips, checking myself in the mirror.
"Are you wearing…makeup? And is that perfume I smell." Angelina asked, raising a quizzical and suspicious eyebrow. I blushed lightly, ducking my head down at the question. I normally went bare faced most days and it was very rare I even had lip gloss on.
"Um well…" I sighed, turning to face the girls. "I've been thinking quite a bit and I think I want to tell George how I feel. I mean, lately we've been really close and I just thought..UHP." I felt the air knocked out of me as Katie rushed forward, engulfing me in a hug.
"That's fantastic Carissa. Oh he's going to feel the same about you I just know it. Now come on we got to get you down to Hogsmead." Taking my hand, she hurried from the room, dragging me behind her as Angelina followed laughing.
I watched the boot impressions I left in the snow as I made my way down to the village. The walk to Hogsmead, which only took a good 10 minutes on most days, felt like an eternity. I could feel my heart beating against my ribcage, the sound ringing in my ears so loud I was sure others could hear it as well. I rung my hands together, willing them to stop shaking the closer we got to the village. I had never felt this nervous in my life before. All different scenarios ran through my head, a few making me want to tuck tail and run back in the other direction. But, one scenario kept me moving, kept me looking for a spot of red hair as we walked into Hogsmead.
"There probably at the Three Broomsticks come on." Angelina said, gently tugging on my arm in a bid to move me in that direction. When we got to the front doors of the inn, I felt my feet stop.
"Maybe I should do this another time, maybe I…."
"Carissa listen to me," Angelina took my hands gently, looking at me intently. "It's now or never. It will work out for you, trust me. Now go in there and get your man." She winked, gently pushing me towards the open doors. Taking a deep breath, I stepped in, seeing the place crowded with students. Looking around the area, I tried looking for my best friend when finally, a flash of red caught my eye. I smiled, recognizing the smile instantly and as I made way towards his direction, I suddenly stopped. There, sitting next to him (closely I could see) was Alice.
The 2 sat together laughing, Alice's hand resting on top of Georges arm. I felt numb, feeling as if the air had been sucked out of the room all at once. I felt my heart constrict, my eyes glassing over as I watched the man I loved lean in before pressing his lips against Alices in a small kiss.
"Oh Rissa I'm so sorry." I could hear Katie say solemnly. I had not noticed the 2 enter in behind me or that Lee and Fred followed them in as well, unaware of my current heartbreak.
"Hey girls," When Fred noticed George, a small smirk fell on his lips. "Told the blind idiot she had a thing for him. Finally plucked up enough courage to ask her out I see. Rissa, you all right?" Fred finally noticed my silence as I quickly turned my head from the scene in front of me.
"I'm fine just remembered I haven't finished the Transfiguration essay due tomorrow. I'm heading back." Before anyone could say anything, I was out of the pub and down the cobble street, finally allowing the tears to fall the further away I walked from the village. I had no idea where I was going, only that I needed to get as far away as possible from George.
Your just his best friend. How could you ever think he had those feelings for you? A chocked sob escaped as I crumpled onto a rock, burying my head in my hands as I continued to cry. I hated crying, I hated how weak it always made me feel. "You're a Lestrange! You do not cry you stupid girl!" I heard my mother's words ring in my ear but at that moment I did not care.
I did not know how long I sat like this, with my head buried in my hands before I felt as if I had no more tears left. Lifting my head, I heard a small sound of a twig snapping and when I turned around, I was met with a large, shaggy black dog. It stood near the entrance to the forest, its black eyes staring at me. It's appearance should have startled me but for some reason it didn't. I took in its figure, seeing the dirt and snow covering its fur, noticing the malnourished look on his frame. He too starred at me, not moving an inch but just staring at me, as if he were trying to read me.
"Where did you come from?" I asked softly, watching as the dog tilted his head in a manner, almost human like. I brushed it aside, moving and digging through my bag. When I had found what I had been looking for, I pulled out the small wrapping, a half-eaten sandwich still inside. Spending so much time in the library, I had gotten into the habit of sneaking food with me and forgetting it in my bag. George teased me relentlessly as I dumped my bag in the garbage, trash and wrappers falling out.
"And our mum calls us pigs honestly." He said. I quickly shook the memory away, moving a few inches so I kneeled on the snow, holding the sandwich out. I noticed him starring warily at the hand, looking unsure, as if it were a cruel joke. "It's alright go on. You look like you really need it." I prodded softly, moving a little bit closer. A few moments passed as we starred at each other before he finally took slow steps toward me until finally he was in front of me, taking the sandwich and scarfing it down. I watched, seeing how hungry the animal truly was and felt pity. I reached foreward and placed my hand on his fur, watching him tense before relaxing as I scratched behind his head. If I hadn't known any better, I could have sworn I saw him smile.
"Do you live in the forest? I haven't seen you around before. Maybe I could sneak out some more food for you from the kitchens how does that sound." I said softly, laughing as I felt him nudge my hand with his snout. He took one last look at me before turning and running back into the forest, his fur quickly blending him into the darkness the further away he got.
Sirius POV
Moving further into the forest I stopped, turning around to look back in the direction I had ran from, seeing the girl still sitting there in the snow. Carissa had grown into a beautiful young girl, no longer the small child I had seen in photographs. Her hair had grown darker, fell around her heart shaped face in loose waves. Her eyes, like her mothers were dark but where Bellatrix's always held hatred and cruelty, Carissa's held warmth and love.
I had worried that she would grow to be as awful as her mother but seeing her, seeing the kindness in her eyes, I saw none of Bellatrix. I watched as she finally stood, dusting the snow from her pants before heading off back to the castle. I knew, someway I would have to speak with her. I had to let her know she was not truly alone in this family.