Blood Status || Marauders Era

Chapter 72|| Christmas

Christmas was usually a good time for everyone, spending time with family, friends, eating delicious food and opening wonderful gifts. Trust me when I say that I was looking forward to spending time at the Potter's with a proper family situation, but there was only one downside. Spending more time with another stray, Sirius. 

In all honesty, his animagus form didn't help the stray thing either.

I was sitting on a train with the girls, it pained me to know that I had spent little more than a days worth of hours with the boys in the past month. I wasn't trying to avoid the other three, I was trying to avoid Sirius, and he came as a package with the other Marauders, so there was little to no time to spend with the others. Classes, the library, and Quidditch was our time to spend together nowadays.

"I'm giving you a task to talk to him at least once, civilly," Alice told me, she was adamant that we were both being childish and the only reason we were angry with each other was because of the prank and the fact that we were avoiding each other for 'no reason'. I would happily admit that it had gotten out of hand and I hadn't planned to spend this much time ignoring him, but now it wasn't friendship hanging in the balance, it was who would say something first.

"Mrs Potter, Mr Potter, it's great to see you again, I really enjoyed last summer," I said to them, I don't know why I was being polite, and it seemed that the two adults didn't either as Fleamont just laughed and Euphemia said, "Call us by our actual name, it won't harm you dear. Never mind that, had a good term you lot?" I glanced at the two boys who didn't reply either, there was no movement from the platform.

"Well either you tell us what you did or we won't leave here until you do," Fleamont said sternly. Sirius and I were still rather quiet and we both just stared at the floor, but James was quick to tell his father everything that had happened between us two, our pranks, and some more, but within everything I could see cogs turning in Mia's head. Then she said, "Well, I'll make sure that you talk this Christmas, I'm always up for a challenge."

We apparated to the Potter manor, it was like a boarding house for the two of us disowned teenagers. The place had already been decorated for the festive season, there was a large Christmas tree in the main room, icicles that never melted hanging on the outside, coloured lights on all of the walls; presents under said tree and any Christmas Cards above the fireplace.

I made my way up to the bedroom I had stayed in for many years and placed down my trunk and owl in the corner of the room, giving Jinx some treats. Inside the room, the fire was already lit, and the bed had been freshly made, I could still smell the newly washed scent. In the room, beside the desk, was a stocking, and I could have made any bet that we all had one and that because I was thrown out, Santa Fleamont would try and be kind to us.

There was a knock on the bedroom door and I walked over to open it and see who wanted to talk to me so soon. What I was not expecting was Sirius Black leaning against the door frame, wringing his hands together nervously. I left the door open but I didn't talk to the boy, this was my sign that he could talk but I may ignore him. Instead, I made my way over to the window and stood in front, facing away from him.

"I'm sorry Thea," Sirius said. I turned around, eyes wide, in surprise. I was sure that I didn't hear that right, my heart was going crazy, did he just say sorry to me? "No need to act so shocked, Euphemia forced me. I'm joking, but ha, I said it first so I'm the bigger person, get a load of that." I let my shoulders drop and my smile grow, he was such an idiot, but it was fine because we could talk again and he was usually never the bigger person, I'd give him it this time.

"Sirius Orion Black the third, you huge arse, how do you go from hating me to being your old self in one minute?" I asked him, slightly impressed at his duality. The grey eyed boy shrugged, grinning cluelessly, he went to sit on the chair by the desk, sitting just behind were I was standing. He said, "I never hated you, I was angry at first but then I realised what I'd done, and I thought you hated me so.. I left you alone."

There was one question in my mind from that statement, "Why the prank then?" Sirius run his hand through his hair sheepishly, "Sorry about that, I thought it'd make you laugh, but, you're not really James." I rolled my eyes at him, so he thought that everyone would laugh at a prank pulled on them just because Sirius Black played it. The boy had a lot to learn. 

"Merry Christmas."

I turned around confused, it was days away until Christmas, why was he saying it now? Sirius Black held out a small parcel to me, a small smile on his face compared to the big grin from earlier, "You can open it now, it's kind of an apology too." I took it from him and opened it, inside was a small emerald pendant, my birthstone, it fit around my neck perfectly when I tried it on, and I could see that the boy was nervous when I did.

"I guess I'll have to give you yours now," I jokingly sighed, allowing Sirius to relax, I handed him a small box and when he opened it, he laughed. I knew what I'd got him, a small ring on with a dog engraved on the front, his animagus, although Sirius took it differently, "Where's the diamond? This is a terrible engagement ring Thea!" I shook my head at the boys antics, he didn't actually think I'd propose to him, right?

"You're not exactly my type Siri," I joked. While the boy pretended to be hurt, clutching his chest with one hand and wiping non - existent tears with the other, the door opened again. In walked James, slightly puzzled but he had a good heart to smile along, he announced to us, "Dinners ready lovebirds." 

It was my turn to be act dramatically, and as I chased James down the stairs, all I could hear behind me was a, "Wait for me!" from Sirius.

The dinner was delicious as always, James sitting at the head of the table, claiming he was more important, Fleamont and Euphemia sitting opposite each other, always making small comments and proving their love was still alive. Sirius and I also sat opposite each other, though we made little to no eye contact, the only time we contributed in a conversation was to tell everyone that we'd made friends again. 

James was very relieved.

The next morning, I was rudely awoken by the tall figure of James, patting the side of my head repeatedly. "Do you have a death wish?" I asked the curly haired boy who quickly left the room. However, I was awake now and after I'd woken, I usually couldn't fall back to sleep, unless I was very tired. "Come down for breakfast and get changed, we're meeting the others," I heard James say.

I got changed rather speedily for me in a white blouse and a thigh length black skirt, deciding to put on some white trainers with it. I then went down for breakfast and saw both James and Sirius sporting a leather jacket each, I noticed Sirius was wearing the one I bought him for one Christmas. Breakfast was simple toast and I chose to have it with marmalade on because it felt a little lost without it.

Going out into the nearest town centre was perfect on this day, it was December so there was a slight frosty chill in the air however it wasn't terribly cold either. In the town centre, there were huge trees with the fake snow Muggles use, it looked very cute with the lights decorating the shops in rows. I knew that Muggle hand placed each of them so I applauded their effort.

"Where are we meeting them mate?" Sirius asked James, placing his hands in his jacket pockets. James pointed down the street and there the two were, Remus and Peter were stood looking at one of the stores at the end of the street, it was obviously them, one was tall with a brown sweater, the other just a tiny bit short, eating liquorice. "That was easy," Sirius said, running over to greet them like an excitable child.

"Shall we run after him?" James asked me, I glanced once at the distance down the street and nodded, it seemed like a good idea, we were technically still children after all. It turns out the street was longer than anticipated but it wasn't bad enough to lose my breath. "Hi again, miss me yet?" I asked Remus, we were stood outside as the other three went to buy converse leather things, they were just new shoes that had appeared, it was no big deal.

"I always miss you Athena, you're the only sane one. I gather by the state of relaxation with the boys that you and Sirius have apologised," the boy assumed. I laughed with not one look towards the black haired boy who was currently buying unnecessarily expensive shoes, "Not really. Well, he apologised, but I see no reason to, he's happy enough thinking I'm sorry." Remus joined in the laughter.