Trouble (The Marauders Era» Sirius Black Fanfiction) *Editing*

14» The Essay

Chapter Fourteen

The Essay

<It takes two to tango>

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"Thea?"

The silky voice called to her, warmth spreading across her chest as she attempted to blink open her bleary eyes. The room was too bright, so she shut them again.

"Theodora, it's time to wake up, darling," the elegant voice continued.

She groaned and rolled over. Not today, voice, not today.

"Thea wake up, I made you breakfast."

With another groan, she opened her eyes and squinted up at the smiling face. Her curly, light brown hair was draped over her shoulders. Her gray eyes were sparkling with little wrinkles around them from smiling too much. Her hand reached out and brushed a strand of hair from Thea's face.

"Thea, you need to wake up, darling."

"Thea?"

She blinked open her eyes and sat straight up in bed, surprising Lily who stood staring quizzically down at her.

"You're going to miss breakfast," Lily said. Thea let out a deep breath and nodded. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Thea said. "Didn't sleep well, I guess."

Lily bit her lip in thought, then sat down beside her on the bed.

"Maybe you should skip class today," she suggested. "In fact, I'll skip with you. We can practice our spells by the Black Lake. How about that?"

"No," Thea said with a sigh. "I can go to class. I'll be fine, really."

Lily reluctantly stood up.

"Ok, if you insist. You should hurry up. The boys are already waiting for us in the Great Hall."

She then left, leaving Thea to sit in silence. She dragged herself out of bed and got dressed in her usual school uniform. As she walked to the Great Hall, she couldn't help but think back to her vivid dream.

Her mother looked just as she remembered; right down to the few gray hairs on her head. She had always thought her mother was strikingly beautiful, and she missed seeing her when she woke up in the mornings. Especially wen she was younger, Thea's mother would always wake her up. If she didn't, Thea would sleep the day away.

"Hello, sunshine," James greeted her when she sat down in the dining hall. "Did you sleep well?"

     "Not really," she said, trying to focus on the small pile of food on her plate. She nibbled on a piece of bacon, her appetite absent.

     "Dreaming of me again?" Sirius swooned.

     "I don't dream of you, Black," she scoffed. "Those are your dreams you're talking about."