Ever the loyal daughter, Anastasia Black is focused on pleasing her parents and holding the together the crumbling relationship between her brothers. At first, she does not think the scarred and quiet Remus Lupin will put a rut into these plans. Tha...
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Anastasia watched the rolling hills flash by the window in a daze. They were less lush than they usually were in late summer- she noticed. The train passed through a tunnel, and her view was obstructed in favor of dark stone covered with graffiti.
Regulus tapped her on the shoulder. "Want anything from the trolley?" He knew very well that she hadn't eaten this morning. He hadn't either, but unlike her, his stomach had heavily protested.
The girl shook her head and returned her gaze to the dull green scenery. Regulus sighed, but ordered a few pumpkin pasties and stashed one in the pocket of his robes, which were hanging from the overhead luggage shelf.
Anastasia couldn't help but notice how off her brother's behavior had been lately. She hadn't seen his smile in a few weeks- the smile that never failed to brighten her day. Currently, the boy was reading the Daily Prophet while munching on something. He never read the newspapers. What changed?
The ride to Hogwarts was always rather boring, despite it being the one place where Anastasia truly felt at home. There, she was free from her parents' screaming and abuse disguised as a catalyst for honor and pride. Regulus' relaxed posture showed that he felt the same. Always one to please, he let his guard slip slightly at Hogwarts. His name and lineage did enough of the work itself.
As the sun dipped below the rocky terrain, Ana saw her reflection in the glass of the window.
It was obvious that she was a Black. Her dark features and round, cat-like eyes reminded many of her mother in her younger years. However, Ana's features were less sharp than that of her brothers and father. Her cheeks were a little more supple, her jaw a little less defined. What connected them all was their foggy, gray-blue eyes, eyes that one could mistake for the ocean on a cloudy day.
"We're here," Regulus said, pulling his robe over his school uniform. Ana stood and the two fourth years made their way off the train and towards the carriages.
The shuffling of students across the platform was a raucous sound. Ana thought she could hear Sirius and his friends just a bit behind them. They were laughing boisterously at something Potter had said, bumping into younger students as they tried to remain standing.
She saw Regulus look back at them with daggers for eyes. Ana knocked him on the shoulder.
"Reg."
"Don't."
It was obvious that he was jealous of Potter, and maybe Lupin and Pettigrew too. In his opinion, they had stolen Sirius from him.
Her brother abruptly stopped once the carriages came into sight. "What?" Anastasia asked. She tugged on his arm, but he stayed put. For such a skinny boy, his feet remained glued to the rugged bricks lining the e edge of the platform.
