The Shadow {marauders era}

Chapter four

I sat on my bed, writing a letter to Regulus. It was now the summer and we had been writing to each other a lot. I had gotten a little more control over my metamorphmagus abilities. I finished it and went downstairs to give it to our family owl.

"Morning, Astrid! Get some breakfast once you send your letter!" Mamma said.

"Okay!" I reply. Mom took the news that I was a Slytherin the best out of my parents. Dad didn't react the best... but it was what I expected. He wanted a Gryffindor and got a Slytherin. I tie the letter to our owl's leg and send him off. I gran some breakfast and sit down to eat it.

"Morning, dad," I say. He looks up from the Daily Prophet.

"Morning," He replied. He drinks some coffee and continues reading the Daily Prophet. I went down to muggle stores frequently and found some coffee and gave it to mom and dad to try. Dad loved it, so we now have a coffee maker and, drinks his coffee every morning.

I nearly spilled my pumpkin juice as James came running into the kitchen. He held a piece of paper in his hands, as well as the mail.

"Hogwarts letters came today!!! Can you sign my hogsmead permission form?" He asked. "Oh, heres your letter, As."

"Thanks," I sigh. James was going into his third year, so he could go to hogsmead. I still had to wait a year. Dad grabbed the paper from James and signed it.

"Here ya go, son!" He said. James smiled.

"When are we going to Diagon Alley?" He asked.

"Tomorrow. Now grab some breakfast, James," Mom said. James groaned and sat down with his breakfast.

The next day, we used Floo powder to go to Diagon Alley. James stopped in front of a window. There was the newest broom in it.

"Woah..." James and Dad said at the same time. I rolled my eyes. I walked down to the pet shop. I went inside, not even checking to see if my family knew I was gone. I looked at a fluffy ginger cat with captivating green eyes. I always loved cats. They were mysterious to me. I reached a hand out and gently pet the cat. It's fur was very soft.

"Hey," someone said. I startled and looked to see Remus behind me.

"Hi!" I said. "How was your holiday?" I asked.

"It was good-" He said. He wasn't able to say anything else before James cut him off.

"Remus! Hey!!" James yelled. Remus sighed.

"See ya later, Astrid," He said. He smiled and walked over to James. I smiled and walked out of the pet shop and wandered around Diagon Alley.

"ASTRID!!" I heard my mum yell. I turned around and saw her running over. Dad and James were walking behind her, admiring a new broomstick. Remus was by them, but he didn't pay too much attention to the broomstick. Mum rushed over to me. "Don't run off like that! I was worried sick about you!"

"Sorry, mum. I got bored looking at the quidditch stuff James was looking at and went over to the pet store. I'm sorry-" I said. James cut me off.

"As! Look, I got the newest broomstick model!" James yelled, holding up the broomstick he and dad were admiring. I nod and fake a smile. I had gotten very good at fake smiling.

"Cool!" I said.

"Yeah, it is. Once you make the quidditch team this year, we'll get you one too!" Dad said. My smile stiffened a little but I tried to hide it. I think Remus noticed.

"Yeah!" I said. I originally had no intent of trying out for quidditch, but I had to now. If I got on the team, maybe Dad would be proud of me and get over the fact that I was a Slytherin.

"Yeah! Then we could play against each other in the Gryffindor versus Slytherin matches! You'd lose, but It'd still be fun!" James said. I scoffed.

"Alright, lets get you two your school things," Mom said. James said good bye to Remus and we went to different stores to get the things we needed. When we returned home, I took my things upstairs and grabbed my purse with my muggle money.

"Mum, I'm going down to the muggle village!" I yell. Our manor is near a small muggle village. I go down there all the time.

"Okay! Be back before dinner!" Mum yelled back. I walk down the path to the muggle village. I look around and buy a few things. I buy some acrylic paints, some muggle clothes (frayed jeans, bellbottom jeans, a plain t-shirt and a tie-dye t-shirt) and some records for my record player. I go back up to the manor and go straight to my room. I place my records with the others on a rack that I use to store my records. I hear a tap on my window and see our family owl. I walk over and grab the letter from him.

"Thanks," I tell the owl before sending it off. I open the letter and read it. To my surprise, it wasn't from Regulus, but his brother, Sirius. I think he might've meant this for James, but see my name at the top of the letter. I begin to read.

Hey Astrid. Your boyfriend isn't home right now. (I roll my eyes at that part) I guess I'll give your letter to him when he gets back. He's out with my mother getting extra things for school. Anyway, the reason I'm writing to you. He told me you had some muggle music, and where to find good 'records' is that what their called? Anyway, I'd love to find more ways to annoy the living hell out of my mother and muggle music would be great. Thanks!
~Sirius

I chuckle. I grab some parchment and write back to Sirius.

Hey! They sell records at almost any muggle store, but Record Shops only sell records. I'll send one of mine with this letter for you to try out. You need a record player for it though. You can get those at most shops as well. Hope you like it!
~Astrid

I grab a record that I don't use a whole lot and attach it to the letter before sending it off.