Blood Status || Marauders Era

Chapter 68|| Scars

"Well, since we're all family now - not exactly blood related but close enough, I'd like you to meet Granny Potter," James said excitedly. Sirius and I both gave each other a confused look from the bed we were sitting on, James was pacing joyfully in front of us, his hands waving animatedly. "Who's Granny Potter?" I asked nervously. 

James giggled childishly and clapped his hands, opening his bedroom door and indicating us out, "You'll see." The three of us all walked downstairs and greeted the two adults when the door bell rung, James got all excited and then I knew why, Granny Potter was there. 

Fleamont opened the door to see his mother who was holding on to her walking stick and glaring at him, "Fleamont, still have that moustache I see." She walked inside with the help of her stick and we all followed her into the living room. "Euphemia, how lovely to see you, where's my tea?"

Mia went off to the kitchen to make a cup of tea and Granny Potter turned to us three children, she did a double take and then shrugged, sitting down. "James, you look more like your grandfather every time I see you, shame really, he wasn't very good looking." I coughed in surprise as James tried to hide a smile. 

James was usually like this, he could never keep a straight face for long enough. Granny Potter looked to me as I coughed, and said, "Stop coughing child, do you have an illness? Stay away from me, I'm 80," she turned suspiciously to Black, "Mr, Miss? You have very long hair."

Sirius pushed back the front of his hair behind his ears and said, "I'm Sirius Black ma'am." Granny Potter eyed the boy, and I knew that she had heard things about the Black family, especially when they branded the Potters as blood traitors. "Well, you always get one. I do hope you won't be my grandson's friend and then leave him after new opportunities arise." 

It seemed she had a personal experience with the Blacks.

The old woman then turned to me and I knew that I should introduce myself, politely and cautiously, "I'm Athena Pattinson ma'am." The grey haired woman leant on her walking stick and had the other hand on the sofa. It must also be knowledge among the magical community that my parents or my family are not nice people. Granny Potter gave me a look, and then said, "I assume your parents didn't agree to you being here. I'm sorry for what they've done."

So she's heard the rumours. The rumours are true. My parents have done the indescribable and they hadn't told anyone but people had heard the screams, seen the scars, in fact my shoulder burned just thinking about it. Sirius and James gave me both confused looks but then something worse happened, Monty and Mia gave me looks of sympathy. I hated sympathy.

I'd already came to them soaking and tired, alone and afraid in the middle of the night. I didn't want any more sympathy, no matter how grateful I was. In fact, I never wanted any from anyone, because I was strong and could easily take on the entire world, all without their help, without their looking out for me.

Later on in the evening when Granny Potter had finally left and the three of us were all sat in James' room, we were all silent and staring into the metaphorical abyss. That was until Sirius broke the silence and asked, "What did she mean Thea?" He didn't need to elaborate for me to know what he was talking about.

I shuffled uncomfortably on the boy's bed, thinking about the question, Sirius looking at me from an armchair near the corner of the room. James had put an arm around my shoulder as he was sat next to me, giving Sirius a pointed look, he said, "It meant nothing, she's batshit crazy most of the time."

Sirius was persistent though, we all knew that much, and so, he asked again, "But it must have meant something, didn't you see your parents? They were giving her the sad look, something must have happened." James threw the black haired boy a glare, and once again went to interrupt but I shook my head.