[Book 1]
❝ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐝𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭. ❞
Serena grew up well sheltered in a Muggle suburb with her mother. Little did she know what horrible past lies behind her well-known last name. Her life, which was as...
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• Serena Black •
„Just because you have the picture doesn't mean you have the whole story."
The teenagers hadn't hesitated a second after the Minister had strolled into the pub together with Professor McGonagall and Hagrid. Hurriedly, Serena, Harry and Nate had disappeared under the table and were now squashed together between their friends' feet. Unobtrusively, the dark-haired girl tried to catch a glimpse of what was happening between the legs of the chairs and found that the three adults were approaching them.
"Mobiliarbus!" she could hear Hermione's voice above her, only to witness moments later the Christmas tree rising a hand's width from the floor, floating to the side and finally landing with a slight rustle directly in front of their table.
Thus hidden, Serena peered through the dense lower branches. Four by four chair legs at the next table were moved across the floor, then she heard the teachers and minister settle down with groans and sighs. In that abrupt moment, she couldn't help but think how much her anticipation of growing old was in check.
"Thank you, Rosmerta, m'dear," Fudge suddenly said in a sucking voice, seeming downright enthusiastic, "Lovely to see you again, I must say. Have one yourself, won't you? Come and join us..."
"Well, thank you very much, Minister," it replied, and again wood scraped across the stone floor.
Serena's heart throbbed painfully in her chest and the pose in which she crouched under the table was not comfortable. She was already sure that her leg would not fall asleep only once. How long would they have to hold on like this? After all, they would have to sneak back into the honeypot before closing time if they wanted to get back to the castle that day.
"So, what brings you to this neck of the woods, Minister?" asked Madam Rosmerta finally, almost making the Gryffindor groan aloud. If she had to listen to the entire conversation, she would prefer something more interesting than the usual small talk. Serena saw the minister's abdomen squirm left and right in the chair, as if to make sure no one was listening in. Then he said in a hushed voice, "What else, m'dear, but Sirius Black? I daresay you heard what happened up at the school at Halloween?"
Serena swallowed and abruptly took back her previous thoughts. Small talk now seemed to be the better choice after all. She could feel Harry's sideways glance, which made the skin on her right cheek tingle. She promptly pretended to find the leg of the chair in front of her more interesting than the subject they were talking about.
"I did hear a rumor," the landlady finally admitted and, after a moment's hesitation, asked in a lowered voice addressed to the minister, "Do you think Black is still in the area, Minister?"
