Mischief Managed | 𝘚𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘴 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬

Chapter 52

With the arrival of the first of September, James and Jenna had already packed their trunks for their upcoming second year year at Hogwarts, with the help of Mickey. Mrs. Potter had asked the twins to do it on their own, but the moment their mother had walked downstairs, they had summoned Mickey to help them with the packing.

     Saying goodbye to Mickey was the hardest part of leaving the Potter Manor, because just like the year before, he broke down to tears, saying how much he was going to miss his two little saints.

     Once they arrived at King's Cross station, James and Jenna pushed their trolley forward as fast as they could, unable to wait anymore to see their friends after so long.

    "Slow down, you two," said Mrs. Potter, worried that they would tumble down and drop all their trunks.

    "There's Sirius!" James suddenly cried out excitedly, pointing at the distance where he had sighted his friend. "OI! SIRIUS!"

     "Oh, for Godric's sake, James. Please don't shout like that in the middle of the train station," Mrs. Potter was saying, but James had already abandoned his trolley and made a run toward his friend, who was walking way behind his mother.

      "These kids will drive me crazy one day." Mrs. Potter sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose while Mr. Potter only chuckled.

     After a short while, the Potters saw that James was now dragging Sirius toward them by the arm, smiling broadly.

     "Mum, Dad," James started as the two boys reached them, "this is my friend I told you about. Sirius."

     "Nice to meet you," Sirius said politely, catching Jenna's eyes for a quick second, his lips twitching up into a little smile which Jenna returned shyly.

     "Or course! Of course!" Mr. Potter said enthusiastically, shaking Sirius's hand.

     Jenna could see that Sirius had grown up a lot over the summer break. At the beginning of last year, he'd been the same height as James and only a few inches taller than Jenna. But now he seemed to have become way taller than the two of them.

     Although while James's voice had slightly deepened, Sirius's remained the same as before. Jenna was sure the boys were going to have a good laugh each time each of their voices cracked at school.

     "We've heard a great deal about you, Sirius." Mrs. Potter smiled down at the boy warmly.

     "Right... thank you," Sirius said rather awkwardly, as though he wasn't expecting to be greeted this way by James's parents.

      "Well, now that you're here," Mr. Potter started, "how about we invite you over to our little Christmas Ball this year? I'm sure you kids would have a lot of fun! What do you say, Mia?"

    "Ooh, that's actually a great idea!" Mrs. Potter nodded cheerfully, before looking back at Sirius.

"Yes!" James clapped hands together in glee, turning to look at Sirius as well with excitement glimmering in his hazel eye, waiting impatiently for his answer.

     "I-I'm not sure if that's a good idea," he muttered.

     "Why not?" asked James, frowning.

     "Well... my mother says that... Christmas is a time for family. I think she would want me to stay with them for the holidays."

     "Then why don't you tell your family to come as well, Sirius?" Mrs. Potter suggested kindly. "We'd be happy to have them over."

    But Sirius threw his gaze away, mumbling something under his breath that they were unable to hear.

     "Sirius Black!" Looking up at the sharp tone of a woman's voice, they saw a tall and slim woman with black hair approaching them, in her long and expensive Wizarding robes.

     Beside her, a young boy Jenna had never seemed before walked onward, trying to catch up with the woman's pace.

     "This is my mother," Sirius muttered, still not looking up.

     "Where do you think you went off to!?" Walburga Black snapped as she reached him, a dangerous glare in her eyes.

      "Oh, don't worry, Mrs. Black. He was with us," said Mrs. Potter reassuringly.

     Walburga looked up at those words, her eyes narrowing. "And who are you?"

     "Fleamont and Euphemia Potter," said Mr. Potter, raising his hand for her to shake.

     "Potter, did you say?" Walburga raised a brow at them, her expression calming a bit, probably because now she knew they were Purebloods as well. But she didn't shake his hand, and merely a cold glance down at it. In her eyes they were still, after all, a family of blood traitors.

      Mr. Potter cleared his throat, dropping his hand awkwardly. He looked slightly more tense, his usual smile vanishing from his face.

     "Anyway," Mrs. Potter went on, trying to hold on to her smile as always, despite her sudden dislike toward the woman, "we were just telling young Sirius here that he would be welcome at our home for this year's Christmas party."

     "Sirius has a family of his own," she answered coldly. "Along with Balls that don't involve... let's say... Mudbloods and Blood-traitors." A sneer spread across her face at those words.

     Mr. Potter's eyes darkened. "You watch your mouth in front of my kids —"

     "Fleamont, don't," Mrs. Potter held him back before he could take his wand out, throwing nervous glances around the station and at the Muggles around them.

     "Come along, Sirius," said Walburga, and so with one last dirty glare at Fleamont and Euphemia's direction, she walked away with her younger son by her side.

      "I'm sorry," Sirius whispered before following his mother away, his face pale and his eyebrows furrowed.