Where are we? I look past the dirty window, and judging by the dimly lit street lamps and old, cobbled roads, I reckon we're in Knockturn Alley.
"This is Mank's Tale. Dark wizards come here often to trade illegal things. This place is nicknamed the Dark Trade. Dodgiest place in Knockturn Alley," Sirius whispers.
I can see why. As my eyes take a quick scan around the pub, I swear I see Dellie and Dolson Travers. They're both in my year, and they're rumoured to be very involved in the dark arts.
"Let's go," Sirius ushers, dragging Marlene's hand. Of course.
James doesn't take my hand directly, but he steers me out with his hand on my shoulder.
He can't help but stare around. Seeing his family is rich and his parents are protective, he's probably never seen the sketchy side of things before, even as someone who explores everything.
"Stop staring, " I hiss quietly, but it's too late.
A short man with several gold teeth and a tall, thin one in all black (a vampire, I assume) saunter towards us, the short one grinning widely. "Watcha lookin' at sonny? Interested in these?"
He passes through sharp looking teeth from hand to hand while I see a glint of gold in the vampire's hand. Merlin's Beard, they traded some teeth.
Before James actually talks, I yank James away, and we're on the streets of Knockturn Alley. "Time to find our way out," I sigh, glaring at James.
He gives me a silly smile as we follow Sirius, who seems to know exactly where to go.
Our footsteps are eerily loud, seeing how empty the narrow, dimly-lit streets are at this time. I constantly find myself looking around to see if anybody's watching us. I clutch onto James' arm like my life depends on it, but he doesn't seem to mind. In fact, he also stands very closely to me.
Marlene is standing in front of us with Sirius, and she obviously has her hand held in his as he confidently finds his way to our next location.
Instead of going to Diagon Alley though, he knocks on the door of another store.
The door opens to reveal an old man that looks almost exactly like Dumbledore. He scowls at the sight of Sirius's boyish, grinning face. "I'm moving to Hogsmeade, Black. Not selling today. Easier business in Hogsmeade. Really wouldn't mind not seeing those bloody Death Eaters every day. Shoo."
Sirius's mouth widens even further, and his teeth seem to shine even more.
"Come on Ab, you must have a few cups or so left," Sirius whines. Aberforth Dumbledore, huh? I wonder how Sirius knows him.
Aberforth gives Sirius a long, hard look before opening his door. "You know where they are," he admits gruffly.
Sirius smiles triumphantly and passes him ten Sickles.
I raise my eyebrows, but James seems used to Sirius knowing a million people.
James, Marlene, and I are all skeptical of the place, so only Sirius goes in and emerges with four bottles of butterbeer.
Sirius gives Aberforth another pleading look until Aberforth rolls his eyes and makes at backhand motion with his hand, making the door swing open. He juts his chin towards the bar, indicating for us to go in.
"You know where the fireplace is," he says, patting Sirius's back. He steps a foot into the pub before Aberforth grabs his shoulder. "Give hell to Walburga for me," he orders in a low voice, a smirk finally breaking across his grumpy face.
===
We end up shooting out of the pet store. I get a mouthful of ashes, feathers, and fur in my mouth. I spit most of it out before even opening my eyes. "That was bloody disgusting."
Then, I rub my eyes open to see a groaning Sirius underneath me. I roll off him almost immediately and stand up, brushing off the dirty floor that's been smudged onto me.
"Who put us in Diagon Alley? We're supposed to be back at Maia's house," demands Marlene, glaring at James and Sirius suspiciously.
They exchange glances, put their heads together, talk under their breaths for a few moments, then beam up at us.
"You two can go get ice cream or something."
"But we're drinking butterb-"
"Here, ice cream on me!"
"But butterbeer was on y-"
"Bye! Meet you there in ten!"
"Fuck you!" Marlene calls, earning protective glowers from nearby parents. I guide Marlene away quickly, evading the lasers coming out of some eyes, whispering, "Maybe you should be a little less explicit around parents and first-years."
===
Lily, Marlene, Dorcas, Emmeline, and I huddle around the corridors on the Hogwarts Express.
"Bye Maia!" calls my mum, waving from where she stands alone, unlike other mothers. I wave back at her half-heartedly. I always feel lonely when I leave for Hogwarts because it always strikes me how everybody has a full family waving them off while I only have my mum. When I tell people I have three people in my family, they assume that I'm an only child, not a fatherless family with one brother and mother.
"Lighten up. You can buy Pumpkin Pastries soon!" grins Marlene, punching my shoulder lightly. I do love Pumpkin Pastries.
"Come on, split up time!" announces Lily, already walking away.
My dorm has agreed to not sit with each other during the Hogwarts Express because we'll be seeing each other every day anyway. I think Lily started it to sit with Snape, but we've all decided that it was a good idea anyway.
I automatically search for the compartment with James and his dorm, but Marlene gets to them first. Of course, she's wedged right between Sirius and Remus. Dammit.
I walk down more aisles and find a group of Marlene's other friend group. "Mind if I sit here?" I ask, indicating two empty seats.
"Sorry, that's for my boyfriend," one says apologetically. Millie, I think. I haven't talked to her ever, but I know who she is.
"And this one's for mine," another adds. "No problem," I shrug. I continue down the aisle until I finally reach an empty one. That's better than nothing. Even though it technically is nothing.
After a few minutes in silence, a boy barges in, breathless and sweating. He glances up and smiles at me, and I realize that it's Mitch Powell, the most good-looking boy in my year. He's quite popular as well, but his group is second, and it has a bigger group of girls and boys, Marlene included. The first is obviously James and his friends.
"Hey, it's Maia... Rose, right? I'm Mitchell Powell, but everybody just calls me Mitch."
We shake hands, but I think that he and I already know that I know who he is. "Yeah, uh, sorry for not asking to sit here. I was escaping from Millie. My girlfriend. She's a little clingy. Well, maybe more than a little."
Oh, Mitch.
"Tall, brown hair, green eyes, freckles, high-pitched voice?" I ask, vague memories of her and Mitch entering my mind. "That's the one."
Oof.
"She was waiting for you."
"Well, I guess she's waiting for nobody more than a friend anymore," Mitch sighs. My eyes widen for a second in surprise before we both start laughing. "Honestly, though, I can't take her," he added in a low tone but still with a smile on his face.
And that's how the first half of my train ride goes, though admittedly with a few silent pauses.
After a few hours, I stand up, telling Mitch that I'm going to buy candy. "Would you like anything?" I ask, shifting through my coins and counting them.
"What do you have enough for?"
I don't want to tell him that I'm only allowed to buy two more Chocolate Frogs if I get my Pumpkin Pastry, but I do.
I don't have much Wizarding currency.
A look of what I assume is pity passes across Mitch's face before his smile returns.
"Ah, that's fine, just use mine."
Mitch rummages through his pockets and hands over a few Sickles and Knuts. "Sugar Quills would be great," he added.
As I walk to the trolley lady, a small boy, third-year or something, jolts guiltily and turns around. He breathes a sigh of relief and returns to the lady. I gasp because he looks exactly like Sirius did in his third year. That must be Regulus Black. I've seen him around and about, usually with high-ranking Slytherins most don't dare approach.
Unlike Sirius, Regulus has neat hair that's cut evenly and clean and polished everything.
He's probably not allowed to buy treats or something, from what I've heard from Sirius about his mother.
There's a small hold up though.
As soon as Regulus hands over the coins, they start to burn, and he has to drop them quickly. The trolley lady tries to pick them up herself, but they burn her hand too, leaving ugly, dark red circles on her palm. She shakes his head.
"I'm sorry. I'm afraid you can't get anything."
Regulus nods stiffly, and he looks like he's on the verge of tears. Ugh, screw it.
"A pumpkin pastry and two Sugar Quills, please," I say, handing over three Sickles and nine Knuts.
I take the Pumpkin Pastry for myself and hand over a Sugar Quill to Regulus. He looks up at me with distrustful eyes and hesitantly takes the dessert.
"Hullo, you must be Regulus, right?"
After a long pause, he finally says, "You're Maia Rose. Going to your fifth year at Hogwarts. Sister of Benjy Rose. Blood status unknown."
He doesn't sound human. He's quite creepy, to be honest.
"Yeah, that's me. How'd you know?"
Regulus shrugs, looking at the ground. "My brother has mentioned you a few times."
My heart stumbles at the mention of Sirius mentioning me, but instead, I just say, "Oh, that's nice."
There's another awkward pause as we stand there eating our sweets, the only sounds being background conversations and the quiet rumble of the wheels gliding over the train track.
Suddenly, there's a second sound, which is Marlene biting into her Chocolate Frog. Regulus and I stare at her, and she tilts up her head as if she's just noticed us.
"Oh no, am I interrupting something? Do go on, this is amusing."
I roll my eyes at her, and I'm about to talk to Regulus before Sirius and James come out laughing from the same compartment as Marlene. He freezes when he sees Regulus and stares at Marlene and me accusingly.
"I didn't do anything," shrugs Marlene, backing up into her seat. Traitor.
"Come on Sirius, he couldn't buy anything," I groan, not liking the expression on his face a single bit.
I turn to Regulus, but he shoulders past me and hurries into a compartment, slamming the door behind him.
I give Sirius an annoyed look and walk away too.
"You're welcome," he calls sarcastically, anger lightly touching his voice.
I ignore him and find my way back to my compartment, but there's a girl there trying to talk to Mitch. I open the door to listen to the conversation.
"Come on Mitch, why are you here all alone? Who- You have got to be kidding me. I saved a seat for you from her! Mitch!"
I try to slink away, but Mitch catches me and begs me with his eyes.
You owe me, I mouth, returning into the compartment.
I sit there, though not talking, as Mitch tries to reason with Millie.
"I wanted to make new friends, Millie. And... um..."
He looks at me again. Please say it for me, he mouths again.
I'm usually shy, so I'm surprised at myself as I say, "Mitch needs a break. He wants to break up."
Millie gasps and runs out of the compartment, probably sobbing.
Mitch breathes a sigh of relief, gratefully thanking again and again.
We talked and talked, and eventually, we got to the subject of Sirius and Regulus Black.
"To be honest, Sirius is cool and all, but sometimes he really needs to untwist his knickers," says Mitch, dropping his voice.
Oh, Merlin, you are so right Mitchell Powell.
"I know! I bought candy for his brother and he got mad at me."
"Geez. Did you hear about last year? He punched Snape because he said that Lily was his closest friend. Which she is, for some reason. And two years ago, when that nice girl you're with - Dorcas, I think? - helped Lily and Snape pick up his books after James knocked them down, he completely blew off.
I shake my head. I do fancy Sirius for multiple reasons, but he's too much sometimes.
"I dunno, he's just like that, I guess. Anyway, w-"
"Hey, Maia! I'm just gonna stay here for a while because I may have dropped a dungbomb in my compartment. Oh, hullo, Mitch. What are you doing here?"
James slides into our compartment casually, looking at me with a knowing look.
In our first year, James and I were already fairly close, and he was the only person that I told of my crush on Mitch. It was only for two weeks, but James won't let it go.
"Escaping Millie. Maia's pretty cool, so I stayed."
James nods before turning to me with a pleading look. I shake. my head. He nods aggressively. I shake my head furiously. He nods his head quickly. Mitch looks at us fearfully as we head-communicate until James can't handle it anymore.
"MAIA FANCIED YOU FOUR YEARS AGO!"
"For two weeks!"
"SHE STILL FANCIED YOU!"
"Barely! It was just in the first year. I was, like, ten!"
Mitch's jaw just about hits the floor as his eyes pop out of their sockets.
"You're joking! Did you really?"
James' head bobs up and down with a crazy look on his face. It took about two seconds for him and Mitch to be crying on the floor, laughing their heads off.
"I hate you both," I grumble, leaving the compartment.