April 14th - Hogwarts Express
The group of boys had once more found themselves in the familiar compartment in the train, and for a moment, it appeared as though nothing had changed from their first year when they all found themselves sitting there for the first time.
But that was not the case, for all four of them knew that there was much that was different in the world compared to that first train ride. Still, while the world around them may have changed drastically, the four boys hadn't, as James was throwing Bertie Botts every flavor Beans into Peter's mouth, "Yes!" he exclaimed, "Told you we'd get twenty of them, Pads, our four galleons,"
The raven-hared boy grumbled a response, his hands digging into his pocket for the money, "Thank you," grinned Peter, but then his face turned serious again, "The full moon's tomorrow, isn't it?"
"The day after tomorrow," corrected Remus, leaning his head against the window and closing his eyes, "And I can already tell it'll be a bad one,"
James shook his head, "It's only one night, and we've had far worse in the past... Need I remind you how we became friends with Nephera, Ellie, and Tony?"
Even though that night wasn't one of Remus's favorites, nor proudest, it brought a smile to the werewolf's face, "Shit was much simpler back then, wasn't it?"
"Not simpler," said Sirius, "Just different, very different,"
And it was true. It had only been a year and a half since that night, but their lives had changed far too drastically after that They had befriended the three people they seemed to hate the most, then they'd lost two of those people, and almost lost the third, and now they were heading for their final months at Hogwarts, "You can say that again," snorted Peter
A few compartments down, Nephera and Alice were sharing a blunt between the two of them, the brunette smiling as she looked at the Gryffindor trying to inhale the smoke for the first time, "I'm a bad influence," she mused, taking the drug back
Alice coughed, "This war is a bad influence, it makes you want to forget about everything around you,"
"Worried about Frank?" asked the Slytherin, opening the door of Crookshank's carrier so the cat could settle on her lap
Alice nodded, extending an arm to pet the cat's head, "He's gone on a mission, with the Prewetts, over in Italy," she explained, "There were rumors of a small foreign branch of Death Eaters there, you-know-who's influence is growing,"
Nephera shook her head, "I doubt it," she said, "He won't make any moves in foreign land until he's done with Britain, and we won't let that happen. But it's good that Moody sent them there, it rattles Mr. No-nose to know that we're keeping an eye on everything,"
The pixie-haired witch sighed, but nodded her head in agreement, "I just wish it wasn't Frank, why did he ahve to be an Auror? Couldn't he be a bloody librarian or something?"
"He'll say the same thing next year when you're in training," pointed out the Slytherin, "Besides, as someone who's been in Frank's position, you don't really have a choice. If you sit on your ass and do nothing, you feel like a coward, wasting away,"
The Gryffindor did not reply to that, simply taking another hit off of the blunt that had almost run out, "Then you understand how Sirius feels," she pointed out, exhaling the smoke, "Where are they anyways, the guys?"
"In their own compartment," yawned the brunette, the weed in her system making her sleepy, "Figured I'd give them some time alone, I feel like I'm intruding nowadays,"
"Please, those boys love you more than life itself,"
"I know, just figured they needed some time to do their guy stuff, compare dick sizes and whatnot,"
Alice, who since it was her fist time smokring, was particularly giggly, rolled her eyes, "We really are the superior species,"
"Here, here," mocked Nephera, "Evans and McKinnon?"
The Gryffindor shook her head, looking out the window, "They're sitting somewhere with Mary,"
"McDonald?"
"Yeah, are you okay with them now, I know Lily hasn't apologized yet..."
Nephera shrugged, showing that she didn't really care much, "I don't need her to apologize, I just need her to treat James fairly. As for the other thing... we're amicable,"
Alice hummed, "You're a really good person," she slurred, "You don't want to bealieve it, because you don't think you're worth it, but you are,"
"I'm not a good person, but I'm not a bad one either," replied the Slytherin.
All of a sudden, she heard a voice in her head, 'We need you to settle an argument, mon coeur,' said Sirius through the bracelet, 'it's very important,'
Shaking her head, she took Crookshanks off her lap and placed him on the seat next to her, "I'm going over to the boy's, they need something, are you coming?" she asked her friend
"No, no, you go," yaawned Alice, "I think I might take a nap,"
Laughing at the disheveled state of her friend, Nephera left the compartment and entered the one two doors over, being greeted with the sight of the four boys, as well as Lily "Evans is wrong, whoever was arguing against her was right," she snarked
"I'm not even in the argument you genius," snapped back the redhead
Nephera hummed, taking a seat next to Sirius, "I wasn't talking about this argument, I was talking about life in general,"
"Girls," sighed James, drawing their focus and making them quiet down
No, Lily and Nephera did not like eachother, and they probably never would, but they both loved James, either romantically or platonically, and so they settled quietly in their seats, "What can I help you with," asked the girl, laying her head on Sirius's lap, cloing her eyes contently as she felt him playing with her hair
"Remus and I were arguing over whether or not it is acceptable to have breakfast for dinner," explained Sirius
The girl gaped at that, "Absolutely not! There is an order of things for a reason, you know,"
"Yes but why does it matter?" asked the werewolf, "I mean, we'll all be living alone next year, no one will be there to tell us what we can and cannot do,"
Sirius shook his head, "Because fi you ahve breakfast for dinner, and then you have breakfast again the next day, then you'll slowly grow tired of it,"
"Exactly," said Nephera, "Besides, Dinner is for salty food, breakfast is for sweet food, everyone knows that,"
"Now that, I do agree with," said James, nudging Remus with his elbow, the scarred boy shaking his head in diagreement
Nephera fell asleep soon after that, a result of the weed in her system and Sirius's fingers trading through her hair, as she lay on the boy's lap. The others quieted down significantly once they saw that the girl was asleep, knowing that it was rare for Nephera to be able to rest calmly for long periods of time, coutesy of the nightmares she still suffered from and stress of trying to keep everyone as far away from the war.
"I worry about her," said Sirius, looking down at the sleeping brunette, "She insists on taking care of everyone but herself,"
James sighed, leaning his head on top of Lily's, "She's scared, even if she won't admit it,"
Peter shook his head, "You didn't see her that day, it was though she froze," he lit up a cigarette, "Not as though, actually, she did freeze. I've never seen her like that,"
"I was because of Bellatrix," explained Remus, "None of us really know what happened when she was taken, and I doubt we ever wil,"
"Look," said Lily, "I'll admit that I'm not her biggest fan, but if there's anything to be said about Nephera bloody Winchester, is that she can handle much more than any of us put together,"
Sirius knew she was right, but he still couldn't help that nagging feeling in his stomach, telling him that he should've tried harder to get her to open up, to get her to talk. Looking down at her, he stroked a finger over her cheekbone gently, smiling when he saw her lean into his touch.
Nephera had always been beautiful, that much everyone knew, but the wizard always found her more charming like this, while she was sleeping and her face was relaxed, "We'll be fine in the end," said James, more to himself than anything, "The war has to be over at some point, right?"
It was almost with a childlike innocence that the bespectacled boy said those words, and no one could find it within them to tell him that the good side does not always win in the end, "Of course it will be," said Lily instead, locking eyes with Remus
The rest of the train ride passed in relative silence, all teenagers lost in their own minds, either thinking about how their time at Hogwarts was coming to an end, or trying to image what their life will look like after the war, 'Sirius, I need a favor', heard the eldest of the Black brothers in his head, the voice belonging to none other than Regulus Black
Tapping the rune on the bracelet thrice, and thinking of Regulus's name, the seventh-year thought, 'What kind of favor?'
'I need Potter's invisibilty cloack, to sneak to Hogsmeade tonight,'
'What for? Is it Death Eater business?'
In his compartment on the Slytherin part of the train, Regulus sighed loudly. The trian wasn't necessarily segrated into houses, it was more of an unwritten rule that certain areas were designated for each house. Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, adn Ravenclaw often mixed together, but nos tudent would dare enter the Slytherin part, "What are you sighing about?" asked Couch
Well, I want to sneak into Hogmseade tongiht using James Potter's invisibility cloak because suprise, we're actually friends, in order to use a muggle phone to call a muggle girl that I emt while I was taking a stroll through muggle london because, suprise once again, I'm a blood-traitor, "Just tired, I can't deal with exams," replied the young Slytherin instead
Nott snorted out a laugh, "At least you don't have NEWTs, Merlin I don't think I've ever been more stressed,"
Barty Crouch Jr. had a different opinion on things, "Why bother with doing well in exams, it won't matter once the Dark Lord wins the war. We'll have any position we wish, regardless of grades,"
'Meet me in the bathroom on the North End of the train,' thought Regulus before stadning up, excusing himself
Regulus knew he was being selfish by wanting to talk to Ella, she was a good person, happy, and inoccent, and he'd be involving her in a while world of crap she knew nothing about. If Voldemort ever caught on to his true nature, the boy would be killed instantly and with no hesitation, but even worse, Ella would surely be murdered too. Yet, the young Slytherin longed for the freedom and carelessness that came talking to her.
Plus, he figured, a single phonecall would hardly hurt. After all, she knew he was in boarding school, granted, she thought it was simply a muggle school on the outskirts of Skotland, by the name of 'St. Mary's', but that hardly mattered at the moment. So no, a single phonecall could hardly harm anyone.
Entering the bathroom, he paced around for a few seconds before he heard a knock on the door, and he opened it ever so slightly to see Sirius standing on the other side, "Well, come in," he ushered
"Merlin, Reg, what's going on?"
"I need to sneak into Hogsmeade, to uh, to use the phone in the Hog's Head inn, and I need the cloak for that,"
Sirius took a moment to look at his younger brother. Regulus wanting to use a phone of all things was curious in itsealf, mostly because he didn't have anyone to call, but on top of that, the Gryffindor could tell the Slytherin was nervous. He was shifting from foot to foot, and wringing his fingers together as a way to occupy himself, "Why do you need a phone? Do you even know how to use one?" he asked
"Salazar, what is it with all the questions?" snapped the Slytherin, "Can you get the cloak or not?"
Sirius put his hands up in surrender, "Alright, alright, don't fly off your bloody rocker, I'll see what I can do," he said hurriedly, "Meet me by the one-eyed witch passage right after dinner,"
And so, Sirius returned back to his compartment more confused than ever. Regulus Artcurus Black, wanting to use a muggle telephone, it truly was a funny thought. When he returned, he saw that Nephera was awake and engaging in yet another gaem of chess with Peter, the two often liked to play, much to Nephera's dismay for Peter was much better at it than one would've thought, "Where were you?" asked the mousy boy,
"Bathroom," replied Sirius absentmindedly, taking a seat next to his witch and pulling her legs over his lap
Nephera shot him an inquisitive glance, and he almost laughed at how observant she was, but he shook his head, telling her that he'd explain later, "We should be there soon," he said
"Two more months, funny how when I was younger I couldn't wait to graduate," added James
And it was true, for when the four boys were younger, they could've filled thousands of books with their conversations about life after Hogwarts, and how excited they were to enter the real world. Now, though, with the way things looked, they would all give a limb and a half for an extra year in the familiar and safe castle, "We should change into our robes," announced Lily
The welcoming feast was as grand as always, excited chatter filling the room from every corner as everyone was reconnecting with their friends after the two week break. Sirius had informed James, Nephera, and Remus of what Regulus had asked, and while the Potter boy was just as confused as the rest of them, he had agreed to lend his cloak to the younger Slytherin.
So, with the cloak safely under his arm, Sirius, with James and Remus in tow, walked up to the statue of the one-eyed witch, where a very nervous Regulus Black was already pacing up and down the length of the corridor, "Oh Merlin's sake you brought the whole Peanut Gallery," he muttered, "Do you have the cloak,"
"I do," said Sirius, but made no move to hand it over, "Once you tell us what this is all about,"
The youngest Black groaned, "It's nothing that you need to be made aware of, brother," he snapped, "I simply need to make a phone call,"
"But to who?" asked Remus, posing the question on everyone's mind
Regulus cursed under his breath. He might've been able to fool James and Sirius, for the two Gryffindors, smart as they may be, could be completely stupid at times. Remus though wasn't as gullible, and the youngest Black silently thanked the three boys for not bringing Nephera there, "Again, none of your business," he asserted, "Now I need to go, or else she'll be far too tired to talk,"
"She?" asked Remus, smirking
James's eyes widened, "Well do say more,"
Sirius laughed, ruffling his brother's hair, "Now, now boys, don't be rude... Little Reggie's got a girlfriend,"
"Reming me to kill you later on," mused Regulus, grabbing the cloak and disappearing into the passage
A/N
2.6k words
Downton Abbey is on Netflix so guess what i've been binging for the past day?
this was kind of a filler but whatever
don't forget to comment and vote!
xx