❝Give 'em hell kids❞
In which Harry Potter decides he needs the help of a certain troublemaker to make it through his Third Year at Hogwarts.
[The Prisoner of Azkaban - The Deathly Hallows]
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Frankie walked through the dark halls, feeling like she'd fallen into a warped, more depressing version of wonderland. Her fingers trailed across the walls as she inspected the dust-covered chandeliers above her. Nothing was warm about the house. The ghosts that had tainted what could have been a home were still there. Now they just sat in their paintings, covered over so the new occupants could pretend they didn't exist. Her fingers danced around the hemming of one of the covers, contemplating pulling the cover down to release the painting onto the household.
The sound of her mother's 'flirting' laughter took her attention. Looking down the hall, another bought of laughter, more real this time, met her ears, sending her walking down the hall towards one of the many living rooms. As she got closer, she could hear her mother's voice, simple and happy, along with another, much deeper voice joking with her. It didn't take her long to consider whether it was right for her to go in, tearing open the curtains that had replaced the broken double door.
Her mother was seated on an ottoman, her ankles crossed, as she laughed with Sirius Black who was seated on a reading chair. Frankie watched on suspiciously, her presence yet to be noticed as she crept around the outskirts of the room, trying to understand the whole picture.
"And Amity was concerned you wouldn't know anyone," Frankie said dryly, crossing her arms over her chest as she leaned on the wooden wall.
Evie jumped slightly, finally noticing her daughter, as a blush crept over her face. Sirius, however, was as cool as he had been since they came that morning, looking like it was just any other day. Franki raised her eyebrow, watching her mother closely as Evie looked between Sirius and Frankie, as though she was trying to figure out the best step forward.
"Frankie, would you like to sit down?" Evie invited, gesturing at a nearby chair. However, as Frankie stayed where she was, Evie quickly fixed the wisps around her face, "No, yes, stay there, that's fine. Umm-"
Sirius watched her with slight amusement as Frankie kept the same dry expression, neither of the two sparing a glance towards each other. In Sirius' case, he knew Frankie would have gunned him down if he looked at her. While for Frankie, she still had no clue why he was even there talking to her mum.
"Okay, you know how I said there were two men I'd been with?" Evie said finally, watching in embarrassed frustration as Frankie refused to pick up on the cues, "Well, meet man two,"
Frankie's jaw dropped, practically snapping off her face to fall to the ground for her. She finally looked over at Sirius, who gave her a charismatic smile. Her mind hurled her to third year when Sirius had remarked to Frankie that she reminded him of someone he used to know. Her mind finally started putting the pieces together as she gathered her jaw off the floor, trying to recover her moment of shock as she turned on a cool look of nonchalance.
"So, that James guy he was staying with-"
"James Potter, Harry's dad, he let me get out of this hell hole," Sirius finished for her, looking around at the living room in disdain before turning back to them, "You're mother lived close by, and she certainly knew how to put us in our places,"
"Yeah, it's called bullying. You just fell for it," Evie joked, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear.
"At least he isn't as flaky as the last one," Frankie said flatly, "Can't leave when we're in his house, now can he?"
"Frankie," Evie said sternly, looking over at Sirius apologetically, "I'm sorry, she's just-"
"It's fine. Clearly, she gets your sharp tongue," The comment by Sirius made Frankie furrow her brows in confusion. Evie was nothing if completely pleasant, "And it's fair enough, but is the excuse that I didn't know you existed a fair one?"
Frankie didn't respond, letting Sirius continue, "But I do know, and that's what matters. I know I can't exactly be your dad. A bit late for that. But if you need a father figure, I'm here to tell you that you should egg your neighbour's house. That's a great idea,"
"Thanks," Frankie said emotionlessly, although the two adults could tell the comment had softened her ever so slightly, "I'm leaving now,"
With that, Frankie abruptly turned and walked out, leaving Evie to explain to Sirius everything that had gone down last year to make her more on edge about potential extra parents.
Frankie didn't need another dad, especially when all her Slytherin friend's dads were either Voldemort supporters, cheating on their wives, or mysteriously missing. All she needed was some peace and quiet.
Frankie was stretched out on her bed like a cat, her eyes flickering to the many different faces in the photo. She still had no idea how moving pictures worked, how the people in them seemed so alive and conscious. She stretched, placing the photo on her side table before looking back over at Harry. His hair was tousled, and his green eyes focused on the roof above him as he sat on Blaise's bed.
"I didn't get Prefect," Frankie told him, finally catching Harry's attention, "I'd guess Daphne got it. Only one of us who could,"
"I feel like such a git, but I-" Harry trailed off, shaking his head, his hair pointed in every direction.
"But you wanted it. I mean, fair enough, you get everything," Frankie told him plainly, grabbing his hand to pull him onto her bed, "It would make sense for you to get it, but it also makes sense for anyone else to get it."
Harry let her pull him towards her bed as Frankie shuffled up to give him some room. Reaching towards her suitcase, she pulled out a box of chocolate wands and passed it over to him.
"You're allowed to be sad. No one is going to hate you for wishing for something," Frankie said, slipping her hand under Harry's arm to take a wand for herself, "But you don't need to be everything. This gives you a break. Let nothing happen this year,"
"I know it's just I can't get it out of my head-"
"This is one less thing to weigh you down, one less thing to stop you from coming to the lake with my friends and me and getting your ass handed to you in whatever game Pansy wants to play,"
"Hmm, as long as you're the only one kicking my ass", Harry grinned down at Frankie.
Frankie was leaning against Harry's side, her legs half dangling off the side of the bed as he sat up more casually. Frankie slightly pushed Harry's face away from her with a shake of her head at the comment.
"Don't make it weird,"
Harry grinned at her, his finger softly pushing Frankie's chin towards him as he leaned down to gently place his lips on hers. Frankie moved herself up slightly, deepening the kiss as she leaned over him for a change. Harry leaned back, his back hitting the bed, as Frankie sat over him hardly thinking of anything else but the two of them.
"Oi, Frankie," Ron's voice broke through the heated silence, "Dinners out soon. Do you know where Harry is?"
Harry, who was under her, tipped his head back so he could glare towards the closed door. Thankfully, Ron was considerate enough to not actually burst through the door. Frankie sighed, hopping off Harry to let him reach his feet- though he didn't bother moving.
"Yeah, thanks, Ron, I'll be out in a bit," Frankie told him, "And no, no clue where Harry is,"
Frankie went to walk towards her dresser, but Harry grabbed her wrist before she could move away. Frankie didn't pull her wrist back as Harry pulled her back towards him with a grin, entering another kiss.
