Style // Sirius Black

Chapter XXXIX

Expect the unexpected. That's the saying. Never get too comfortable. Always have your back up and wits at the ready. Nothing is ever truly as it seems. These phrases and musings were just fancy ways of saying that nothing is inevitable and that there are always variables at play. Something lurks around each corner, and the shadow behind you may not be yours. Life is constantly evolving, changing, and growing around you like both a weed and rose bush all at once. But even weeds could be beautiful and roses violent.

Uncertainty is scary, simple as that. Even the most laid-back and go-with-the-flow people undoubtedly find discomfort in the unknown. Human nature is to control, sort into nice and neat boxes that don't give room to flourish or change the tune. It is okay to want to understand every niche detail of the future, where things become a bit blurred is when you refuse to let any change occur without filtering.

You cannot control the growth of a garden to every last leaf, only the general direction.

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Sortings done, first years settled, and final years unbothered by the upcoming school year as all get out meant that it was the annual Gryffindor party time. It was a tradition for the upper years of the house to throw the most talked about party that would set the president for the rest of the year. If this night went wrong, the upcoming months would all be off-kilter and seemingly uneasy. If the most notorious party house couldn't even manage a successful party, what hope was there for anything else? At least, that was the mentalities of the Marauders.

Lyra had zero interest in assisting her brother and friends with the planning of the said party. She simply wanted to watch them all scamper about the common room, arguing about the different alcohols and beverages at the mercy of students from all four Hogwarts houses. It even appeared as though Marlene had lost all sense of care about the upcoming soiree as the boys bickered, dropping down next to the other blonde of the group.

"Y'know, the more they fuss about it, the more I want to do something that will ruin the entire night," Marlene mused with a mischievous smile dancing across her lips, "Though my life may be in danger if I dared."

"I think you'd have an entire chapter dedicated to you in the future History of Hogwarts books," Lyra chuckled as Marlene leaned her head on the girl's shoulder, "Marlene McKinnon, August first, 1960 to September first, 1979. Cause of death? Pissed off a pack of animal enthusiasts."

A snort radiated from Marlene's nose as Lyra's chest danced with a laugh. It was moments like this, of serenity and bountiful joy, that made the younger Potter twin forget the reality she was living in. There was no evil wizard threatening the lives of innocent muggles, no Death Eaters infiltrating Hogwarts, and no fear of what awaited them outside the safe boundaries of their school. There were only the friends Lyra was blessed with, the warmth of the fire, and the sound of muggle music playing through the room on a record player.

"And what on earth could you two be laughing about?" James admonished as the four Marauders stopped before the two, "Planning a prank?"

"We would actually have to care about this stupid party to go through that amount of effort," Lyra teased, earning another hiccup from the girl beside her, "James, I don't know what superstition you lot have in your heads, but no one cares that much."

"And what makes you say that?"

"The fact that only the four of you actually planning this thing!" She snickered, gesturing to the nearly empty room around her, "Not a single other seventh year is here. It is literally only you four stressing over it."

"You wouldn't get it."

"Oh, I'm sure," Lyra chuckled, taking a stand from the couch and hauling Marlene up with her, "Now, if you'll excuse us. McKinnon and I are going to have dinner like sane people."