(A/N the pic on the right is the christmas dress )
‘Sirius? Is that you?’ A female voice asked snappily.
‘Yeah.’ He said back in the same tone and I stifled a giggle. He put my trunk down next to the stairs and we walked into the living room. I saw a boy with black hair sitting in front of the fireplace reading a book, I recognized him as Regulus, Sirius’ brother. In an armchair sat an older man reading a newspaper, which seemed to be the Daily Profit, and an older woman sat on another armchair also reading a book. They all looked up when we walked in and I faked a kind smile. I shook hands with Mr. and Mrs. Black and introduced myself before smiling at Regulus who just gave me a strange look. Well I don’t particularly like you either, I thought.
‘You’re excused to take your trunk upstairs.’ Mrs. Black said and I almost laughed ,but stopped myself by biting my lip, before thanking her and taking off down the hall with Sirius following me.
‘Are you finally going to carry your own trunk?’ He asked.
I huffed. ‘Of course not. Go donkey, carry my trunk up the stairs.’
‘Bitch.’ He laughed while struggling up the stairs with my trunk.
‘Look who’s talking.’ I called after him before following him. He muttered some more before I told him. ‘Less talking, more carrying. Come on, hurry up a bit. I want it upstairs before I’m forty.’ I teased. He stopped walking which made me crash into him, which almost leaded to my trunk falling down the stairs. ‘Watch it.’ I laughed. Then I saw his face. ‘What’s wrong?’ I asked.
‘I should’ve made Kreacher carry it.’ He complained making me laugh.
‘Aw, that poor elf! Don’t be lazy and just carry it.’ I told him.
‘There’s nothing “poor” about him. He hates me!’
‘He might hate you less if you were nice to him.’ I scolded him.
‘Never.’ He complained and I hit him on the shoulder. He put my trunk down in a bedroom. I looked around it. The walls were green and silver and so were all the accessories. It took me a huge effort not to say anything about it. I turned around to look at Sirius who was laughing. ‘Nice huh. All the green and silver and the Slytherin crest.’ I made a face at him and softly pushed him.
‘Is the whole house like this?’ I whispered afraid of anyone overhearing.
‘Yeah, except for my room. It’s the beautiful red and gold that represents Gryffindor.’ I smiled.
----
I was standing in front of the mirror in the bathroom which was next to my bedroom. I was getting dressed for the Christmas “party”. I was wearing a light blue, knee length dress. It had the same colour as my eyes and had a tutu like skirt.
My hair was in loose curls down my back and I was wearing some light make-up. I walked back into my bedroom and put the light blue heels on. Then there was a knock on my door. ‘Come in.’ I said and the door opened. I turned around and smiled as I saw Sirius leaning against the doorpost. I sighed and walked towards him before straightening his tie. ‘I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, is it really that hard to dress properly.’
‘You look beautiful.’ He said with a smile.
My smile grew before I said. ‘Yeah, yeah. Flattery will get you nowhere.’ I pushed him out of the door.
‘Regulus, Sirius, your cousins are here.’ Said the snappy voice of Mrs Black.
‘And hell starts.’ Sirius whispered to me at the same time Regulus left his room. He was also wearing a suit.
‘See.’ I said while hitting Sirius on his arm once again.
‘Ow,’ He complained. ‘I’m gonna have a million bruises before the holidays are over.’
I ignored him. ‘See, your brother does know how to dress properly.’
He gave me a look. ‘Are you starting as well? You sound exactly like my mum.’ He teased.
I faked being shocked. ‘I do not. Come on let’s go down stairs.’
‘Do we have to?’ he whined.
‘Yes. Yes we do.’ I pushed him softly. ‘Go on. Walk.’ He pouted before walking down the stairs after his brother with me following.
‘Don’t fall.’ He whispered with a big smile, making me glare at him. I didn’t always fall, now did I? Okay, maybe I did but still. I got down the stairs without making a complete fool of myself and Sirius grabbed my hand. ‘Stay close.’ He whispered. I could hear the laugh he was trying to hide. ‘They’re like wolves. They smell fear.’
‘Nice job on trying to keep me calm.’ I whispered sarcastically. You might wonder, how does someone whisper sarcastically but it’s actually quite easy. You just have to… Oh sorry I’m off topic again.
He just shrugged before we walked towards his brother and cousins. ‘Anything I should know?’ I whispered.
‘Bella’s a bitch. Cissy is a slut. Dromeda is actually really nice, especially if you take in account that she’s a Slytherin.’ I nodded.
‘Thanks a lot.’ I said my voice dripping with sarcasm.
‘You’re welcome.’ He smirked. I had seen the sisters before when they were still at Hogwarts, they’d graduated quite some time ago. They seemed to remember me as well as Andromeda smiled at me and Narcissa nodded stiffly and Bellatrix glared. I smiled happily.
Sirius nodded his head in greeting at Bellatrix and Narcissa, clearly not happy to see them, and smiled at Andromeda.
‘Sirius!’ Barked his mother. ‘Give your cousins a hug.’ He made a horrified face at me before giving them a hug.
‘Great.’ He whispered when he was back at my side. ‘Now I’ve got Bella’s disgusting, crazy bacteria’s all over me.’ Trying to hold back laughter, I choked in my spit which leaded into a major coughing fit, with Sirius calmly patting my back like he hadn’t just said something that would piss off his whole family.
‘Are you okay?’ Andromeda asked sounding worried.
‘Yeah.’ I said in between two coughs. ‘I’m fine.’ I swallowed and the coughing came slowly to a stop.
‘Better?’ Sirius asked with a huge grin.
I rolled my eyes at him. ‘Much better.’ Then Mrs Black told everyone to sit down at the table so that they could start with dinner. I awkwardly sat down in between Sirius and Andromeda. After a while the questions started coming.
‘So Faith,’ Andromeda’s dad asked and I looked up at him. ‘Who are your parents?’
I straightened my back. Do not show fear, I told myself. ‘My mum’s Catherine Sunday, sir.’
‘And your dad?’
‘Uhm, well my-uh dad…’ I looked at Sirius for help.
‘Her dad’s a muggle.’ Sirius said with a smile. All heads snapped up.
‘So you’re a half-blood.’
‘Yes sir.’ I said softly. Everyone was still staring at me and Sirius grabbed my hand under the table and gave it a reassuring squeeze and I felt Andromeda pat my leg. She was secretly dating the muggle born Ted Tonks, Sirius had told me. To avert everyone’s attention Sirius pushed his glass off the table, which smashed to pieces, and acted as though it was an accident.
‘Sirius!’ His mother said angrily. ‘Can’t you ever watch what you’re doing? You don’t see your brother smashing glasses to the floor now do you?! KREACHER! Clean that up.’ A house-elf came in and bowed so low that his nose touched the ground.
‘Yes mistress Black.’ I almost laughed again. That sounded so wrong.
After this awkward moment everything went relatively well. I had a nice chat with Andromeda while Sirius was being interrogated by his uncle. In a bearably audible whisper she told me how she was going to tell her parents she was going to marry Ted after the party was finished. I stared at her with big eyes, shocked by her determination and courage.
Just as I thought everyone had forgotten about my blood-status, Andromeda’s mother turned to me. ‘What do your parents do Faith?’ she asked me with her back so straight and her head held so high it thought she was going to sprain a muscle.
‘My mum’s a healer and dad’s a doctor, which is a sort of muggle healer.’
‘And you, what do you want to be? Which lessons do you take?’
‘I want to be a healer as well. I take Potions, Transfiguration, Muggle studies, Herbology, Charms, and Defence Against the Dark Arts.’
‘That’s quite a full schedule.’ She commented and I smiled shyly. ‘But why are you taking such a useless subject as Muggle studies. It would spare you a lot of time if you’d just drop it.’ My smile fell.
‘Oh but I like Muggle studies. It can be quite interesting.’ I could hear Sirius next to choke on his food. ‘Are you okay Sirius?’ I asked while I softly patted his back, faking worry. Two can play that game, Black. I finished my plate and then my eyes fell on the family crest and the words; Toujours Pur.
I knew a little French so I knew that it meant Always Pure. You’ve got to be kidding me. I shared a look with Sirius who was sniggering silently. Luckily the evening didn’t last long and I was happy when I could change in my pyjamas and take my make-up off. The next day we were going to James to finish the holidays over there. I was sure that the mood would be a lot happier there. With that thought I fell asleep.