The next morning I had a lot of trouble getting out of bed. Probably because I’d hardly slept the night before. After fighting with Lily, which leaded to her using the Aquamenti charm and me almost killing her, I got dressed. We went down to breakfast and I sat down in-between Sirius and Remus with James on the other side of the table with Peter next to him.
‘Morning guys.’ I said while yawning.
‘Morning.’ They echoed. I looked around the table for food and groaned. ‘What’s wrong?’ Remus asked.
‘There’s nothing with sugar in it.’
‘There’s never anything with sugar in it.’ James said while rolling his eyes at me.
‘Shut up. Pass me the freaking eggs.’ I snapped. They pushed it towards me.
‘What has gotten into you?’ he muttered, making me glare at him.
‘I had hardly any sleep and to top it off, Lily woke me up with Aquamenti. That is what has gotten into me!’ I said angrily while throwing my fork back on the table. Sirius put an arm around me.
‘Someone’s PMS’ing.’ I slapped him before pushing him of the bench, making him land on the floor on his butt.
‘Shut the hell up!’
‘Faith. Calm down.’ I looked at him before sighing deeply.
‘Okay, fine.’ I said before I started eating again.
‘How the hell did you do that?’ James asked Sirius incredulously. He just shrugged. Right that moment owls came flying in.
‘Oh look mail’s here.’ Sirius said. My head snapped up and a smile spread across my face. Sunny flew in after James’ owl and both of them landed on the middle of the table. Sunny hooted happily and dropped a letter on my now empty plate. Then Sirius groaned. I looked up to see his mother’s owl fly in. I patted his back.
‘Good luck.’
‘Funny.’ Sunny hooted for my attention.
‘Thanks Sun.’ I said while patting his head affectionately. ‘Want some toast sweetie?’ I asked it and he hooted again. I giggled and gave him some. ‘There you go hon.’
‘You really have a soft spot for him don’t you?’ Remus asked with a smile. I nodded and smiled. I picked up the letter and read it.
Dear Faith,
How are you sweetheart. How’s school? Having any problems with the homework?
We miss you a lot! Are you staying at school for Christmas or are you coming home?
We heard you’re going to Hogsmead this weekend. We enclosed some money for you to buy something nice.
Looking forward to hearing from you
Lots of love,
Mum and Dad
I smiled. I looked at Sirius who threw his letter angrily back on the table. I gave him a questioning look. He tossed me the letter.
Sirius,
We expect you home for Christmas. We’re having a family reunion.
We expect you to behave properly. And stop hanging out with that blood-traitor Potter and those half-bloods you call friends.
Regulus told me you fancy a girl. Is she a full-blood? She better be. If she is you need to take her with you for Christmas so we can meet her. Be nice to your cousins and be more like Regulus.
Your Parents.
I bursted out laughing which caused him to glare at me. ‘It’s not funny.’
I laughed even harder. ‘It is! Write back I want to see it.’ He checked Remus’ watch. Ten minutes before the bell. I gave him a quill and some parchment and he started writing.
Fine.
No.
He stopped writing when he wanted to answer the next question and glanced at me. I giggled.
She’s a friend. Half-blood. I won’t take her with me. It might leave mental scars.
No.
He gave the letter to the owl which snapped at him before flying off to the Slytherin table to drop off another letter to Regulus. I was still laughing when the bell rang. I joined Lilly, Alice and Molly on the way to transfiguration, the Marauders following us.
‘What are you laughing at?’ Alice asked. I couldn’t talk and just shook my head.
----
It was finally Saturday, Hogsmeade day. Lily woke me up and I showered and got dressed. It felt great to be able to wear my Muggle clothes again. I put on some dark blue skinny jeans and my Union Jack All-stars and a white Beatles T-shirt. I happily skipped downstairs.
‘Moooooooorning boys.’ I sang happily.
‘Morning.’ Was the monotone reply I got.
‘A little happier now.’
‘Morning Faith.’ They all said with fake happiness.
‘How are you on this beautiful day? You’re looking absolutely stunning as usual.’ Sirius added, sarcasm dripping from his voice.
‘Jerk.’ I muttered while sticking my tongue out at him.
‘Bitch.’ He retorted.
‘Skank.’
‘Slut.’
‘Whore!’
‘Enough!’ Remus said making us shut up. He got up. ‘Are we leaving?’ We nodded and followed him out of the portrait.
‘Have fun at Hogsmeade.’ The Fat Lady told us when she saw us. I waved at her before we went downstairs and joined the crowd outside of the castle.
We showed Filch our permission slips before running down to Hogsmeade. ‘Do we have to run!?’ I complained. ‘I hate running!’
‘You’re so slow.’ Sirius and James whined at the same time.
I huffed. ‘I can’t help it that you have long legs. One step for you is two steps for me.’
‘Fine. We’ll walk.’ After ten minutes we reached Hogsmeade.
‘Where do you want to go first?’ I asked them.
‘Zonko’s!’ Four voices told me in sync.
‘Okay then, Zonko’s it is.’ We walked into the crowded joke shop. As soon as we entered, we lost Sirius and James who ran off talking about new products. They immediately changed into little children in a candy shop. Which we were going to next. We spent two whole hours in Zonko’s before I got fed up and pulled them towards Honeydukes. They complained a lot but stopped when they saw all the candy. Remus eyes grew wide when he saw all the chocolate. We tried some things until we saw the ‘Unusual Tastes’ section. I grinned and skipped towards it. Sirius and James joined me. Sirius picked up a red lollipop.
‘I dare you to eat it.’ He said mischievously.
I made a face at him. I knew what is was, it was a blood-flavoured lollipop. ‘Yuck! No way!’
‘Okay.’ He sighed. ‘I double dare you.’ He hold the lolly closer to my face and I pushed it away.
‘Keep that disgusting thing away from me.’
I pointed at the Cockroach Clusters. ‘I dare the both of you to eat them.’ They made a face that equalled my earlier one.
‘Faith. They contain actual cockroaches. That’s just gross.’ I laughed.
‘Those lollies taste like blood!’ After arguing for a few minutes we bought some regular candy, like chocolate frogs, Bertie Bott’s every flavoured beans, cauldron cakes, liquorice wands and sugar quills. We left the shop and wandered around the streets of Hogsmeade. I took out a package of every flavoured beans and looked inside. I saw a pink one and took a bite. Strawberry. Then my eye fell on a brown one and I smiled mischievously. I held the package out to Sirius.
‘Try one.’ He looked at me uncertainly before taking it out and taking a small bite of it. He smiled at me and ate the rest of it as well. My smile fell. ‘What was it?’
‘Chocolate. What did you expect.’ I didn’t answer. Damn. Then we went into the Three Broomsticks. James, Sirius and Remus went to Madam Rosmerta for drinks and Peter and I found a table. We sat down at an empty table and I pulled my knees up to my chest. I didn’t like being with Peter. I thought he was creepy.
‘What’ve you got?’ I asked when they arrived back with the drinks.
‘Butterbeer.’ Remus said while Sirius jokingly said. ‘Firewhisky, what else?’
‘Thanks Remus.’ I said accentuating ‘Remus’ and completely ignoring Sirius’ comment.