The (Not So) Strange Mixture

''Something Is Brewing, About To Begin...''

Warnings: Mention of war (cause duh), HUGE wolfstar fight (it's a big one), Black Brother's angst, and crying/screaming/arguing.

October 31st, Hogwarts Feast

"You cannot be serious, Amy!" Lily gasped. Amy had joined the Gryffindors at their table. She wanted to stay with Sirius. And he was grateful for that. So grateful for her. Amy sat to his left, Remus to his right. "I am! And you lot of brainless Lions cannot change my mind!" she teased, grabbing a handful of candy from one of the cauldrons. "Brainless?! I'll have you know, Parkinson-that I've gotten the highest NEWTs of our year!" Lily bragged. Amy giggled, unwrapping one of her sweets. Remus handed Sirius a chocolate cupcake, which Sirius took sweetly. "Thank you, Lovey" Sirius mumbled, undoing the wrapper around the cake. "Of course, Baby" Remus replied, taking his own cupcake. The gossip had infected all of Hogwarts. Ever since that morning it's been " Did you hear?! " " Wizarding War! " " We're all gonna die! " " We're fucking doomed! ". Sirius kept his head down most of the feast, not wanting to catch his brother's eye. Even though James swore that Regulus wasn't looking their way. Remus rested a hand on Sirius's thigh, rubbing it softly. Sirius relaxed into his touch, resting his head on Remus's shoulder. He was so exhausted. It had been a very long day.

The Potters, Lupins, Evans, MacDonalds, and Pettigrews wrote in. Owls flying in and out of the Great Hall a thousand miles per minute. Parents writing to their kids, checking on them, telling them the news over and over again. Mary's parents said they were bringing her home once more, but luckily she wrote back, telling them she had only a few months left at Hogwarts. Hopefully, they'll listen to her pleas. Effie sent two letters in, one for James, and one for Sirius. James's was the shorter of the two, just Effie making sure he was okay and promising to do everything she could to help protect them. Sirius's however, was written on both sides of the parchment. A long-winded speech on how this should not get to him, that everything will be okay...and that he's nothing like his evil little family members. Sirius crumpled the letter in his hands, chucking it to the floor after he read it. He swore that if anyone mentioned his family again, he'd snap.

Dumbledore arrived at his podium for the second time, just before dinner's end. He lowered the flames illuminating the hall, grabbing the student body's attention. Dumbledore cleared his throat, resting his hands together on the table. "Now...I know why we've all been put into this sudden trance of silence..." he began. He wasn't smiling, like normal. Honestly, he was quite different from normal. That cheerful glint in his icy blue eyes was gone. All majesticness that he normally held...had gone. "And I know...you all must be wondering...who is this man...and why is he trying to cause us all havoc..." Dumbledore sighed. He frowned, glancing around at all the students in the hall. Sirius sat up once more, looking over at Dumbledore. Taking Remus's hand off his thigh, and holding it instead. "Well...I do have one of those answers..." Dumbledore admitted. Whispering arose once more, the students turning to their mates to gossip. "Once...there was a young man...who like you...sat in this very hall...walked these castle corridors...and slept under its roof..." Dumbledore started. The students listened closely, listening for any type of advice or bit of information.

"He seemed...to all the world...just your ordinary student...his name?" Dumbledore cooed. His expression went from concerned...to cold. "Tom Riddle!" he announced. Even more whispers. Sirius stiffened up, placing his and Remus's hands in his lap. Their friends were huddled together too. James and Lily interlock their hands, Marlene wrapped in Cas's arms. Amy and Mary huddled close, shoulders touching. Frank and Alice were whispering anxiously. They were in fact the most stressed about this, with their Auror training and all. Sirius glanced at Peter, who seemed completely fascinated with Dumbledore's speech on Riddle. It made Sirius a bit suspicious. "But now I assume...he'll want all the world to know him by another name..." Dumbledore huffed. Remus looked next to him at Sirius, still holding his hand tightly. Remus frowned, stroking Sirius's palm with his thumb before facing Dumbledore again. "Riddle was a very...complex student, to say the least, everyone thought he was a hero...but now...I think people will see him for who he truly is...a con..." Dumbledore admitted.