Miss Marauder //A Marauder's Era/Harry Potter Fanfiction\\ ON HIATUS

Chapter 24

"Are you okay, love?" I looked up at my mum and gave her a feeble smile before resting my head back down on the sofa, pulling the fuzzy blanket up to my chin. Christmas Day is always exhausting, but it's even more exhausting when you were already emotional anyway. She sighed and sat down on the sofa next to my head, kicking at the wrapping paper that was littered all over the carpet.

"I know, darling, I know." My eyes fluttered shut as she ran her fingers through my hair, like she always used to do when I was small. "We've all been there, sweetheart. I know it hurts so much now, but give it a bit of time and eventually, you won't even remember why you were sad in the first place!"

I know she was only trying to cheer me up, but if anything it made me feel even more depressed - how much time would it actually take for me to forget this? Months? Years? Decades? At the rate it's going at the moment, probably the latter.

I told them Remus and I had broken up (or rather, James had told them literally as soon as we met them on the platform). I'm quite glad he said it, though, so I didn't have to. He didn't tell them all the gory details on why we broke up, for which I am grateful. James may be a prick sometimes but he's always got my back when I need him.

Remus has probably opened my Christmas present by now. I didn't get one from him, but can't say I'm surprised as I don't really deserve one. I hadn't gotten anything from Callie either, which was strange but understandable, I guess. I hadn't heard from her for quite some time - probably since I last saw her in the Hogwarts kitchens, stuffing my face with chicken. Come to think of it, I also hadn't seen Sadie for a while (not that I'm sad about that). Maybe I've been hiding in the kitchens a little too much lately?

My rambling thoughts were suddenly interrupted by an incredibly loud hacking cough coming from the armchair on the opposite side of the living room. "You alright, dad?"

He nodded, wiping his mouth with his hankerchief. "Yes, dear," said Dad, giving me a sweet smile which I returned.

I do worry about my parents sometimes. They are relatively old, compared to everyone else's families; they didn't have me and James until later on in their life, as they didn't think they could even have children. We're miracles, what can I say? I always get worried when they start to get ill. I also worry about having to look after them after we graduate, would we have enough money to be able to give them what they need? I hope so.

"MY UNCLE DIED!" Sirius grinned, running into the room and waving a piece of parchment in his hand.

"Err, congratulations?" said James, looking up from his new Quidditch book.

"No no no, you don't get it," said Sirius, so happy he was practically bouncing up and down with glee. "He was rich."

"Ooo did he leave you some money?" I leapt up from the sofa and ran over to him, trying to get a peek at whatever that letter said.

"Better than that," said Sirius, and started skipping round the room. "He left me all of his money."

"You what?" laughed James. "Thought you were disowned, mate?"

"So did I!" beamed Sirius, and I rolled my eyes. "But I guess Uncle Alphard had a soft spot for me, after all."

"I bet your mother burns his picture off the tapestry just like she did with yours," I smirked.

"Most likely. She probably got his house so she can't complain too much - Merlin knows she still will, though." Sirius glanced back at the letter. "You know the best bit of this?"

"What?" asked James.

"There's enough money here to get a flat of my own, and still have gold to spare."