The First Signs of a Storm - Prisoner of Azkaban - Book 1

Chapter 4: Confronting Fears

Alexiandra

     "It might be hard to believe-" said Lexi an hour later, as the two witches sat in a cafe in the middle of Muggle London. "-but it wasn't always bad. The war wasn't always on our doorstep."
     Lexi sat opposite Storm, whose mood had greatly improved since Lexi had tackled her hair, the identical braids suiting her. Lexi felt sorry for the girl, who was doing her very best to be open minded. But Lexi could see as clear as day, that Storm was nervous for Wednesday next. And, truth be told, so was Lexi. 
     "The way you speak," replied Storm softly. "How close were you?"
     The question tugged at Lexi's heart and she could not stop the flashes of images that blinked through her mind like a motion picture.
Lexi sighed. "I remember the day you were born like it was yesterday." Lexi started, a small grin finding its way onto her features, her thoughts stopping on a particular memory that, to this day, was her happiest. Her eyes brightened as she spoke. "As per tradition, we camped out in the Room of Requirement." Lexi paused, wanting to explain as perfectly as she could. She wanted to give Storm something.
     "I say we-" Lexi chuckled. "-yhe Marauders were the big four. The most popular and brightest wizards in the school. They had nicknames for each other. Moony," Lexi was grinning at the thought of her old friends. "Remus Lupin. You could never find a kinder man. Humble, modest. He was the Prefect. Always so gentle. Then there was Wormtail or - Peter Pettigrew."
     An invisible hand clenched around her heart. Poor Peter. Such a sweet wizard. He did not deserve his fate.
     "Padfoot was a nuisance," she continued, "he spent more time in detention than he had free time. Yet he always managed to keep up on his schoolwork. I think that's why your mother hated him - he made it all look so easy." Storm's lips twitched and Lexi didn't hesitant to carry on.
     "But Sirius wasn't whole without his best friend. His second brother. Prongs - or James Potter - as he is known to all. The four of them were inseparable. Their notorious pranks rivalled even Peeves the Poltergeist. Not always good, but they were a presence, let me tell you!" She beamed as Storm sat on the edge of her seat.
     "The four Gryffindors!" Lexi exclaimed. "It was them who started a tradition in our second year, after they'd been out exploring with James' cloak. But as we got older, the bigger the circle grew. Lily Evans - James' 'future-wife' - as he'd called her since the day they met, would only come if Isabella did. And Bella would only set foot in the company of Sirius if I went with them. I suppose I was the peacekeeper. And when Bella insisted that Severus be there the night you were born, well," Lexi trailed off with amusement. "The thunder and lightening outside was nothing compared to the atmosphere in that room."

     Storm let out a laugh and Lexi felt somehow lighter. If ever so slightly.
     "But despite everything, Bella knew you were coming. It was - magical." Lexi breathed out. "Whenever she would sit by the fire in the Ravenclaw common room, before long there'd be blue flames dancing in the shape of four animals."
     Storm frowned and Lexi chuckled at the witches discomfort.
     "So I was a freak in the womb, too?" Storm said disheartened, her shoulders dropping.
     Storm's words annoyed Lexi and the latter shook her head firmly, giving the young witch a stern look.
     "It was a surprise, the first time it happened." Lexi reminisced softly. "But none of us ever thought of you like that. We were all mesmerised by it. Some more than others." She smiled. "Remus - he was captivated by the way flowers bloomed during breaks, when your mother would sit out by the Lake, reading under the tree. You were born 12 days late, and those twelve days were unlike anything any of us had ever seen. We-" Lexi trailed off, remembering the days leading up to Storm's arrival as if it were mere hours ago...