Not Retribution, Just Returning Favor!

Chapter 3: Initium

Harry breathed in deeply as Professor McGonagall asked the transfer students, over 50 of us, to come with her for sorting. This was it. Her new life starts now. Hermione and Ron grasped her hand tightly. She smiled gratefully at them. She can do this. They entered the Great Hall and Harry automatically started to scan for the people her heart was yearning most, as they continued walking up to the front.

The four of them were sitting at Gryffindor table near the Head's table. Remus and Peter sat on one side and Dad and Sirius sat on other side. Remus had his back to the sorting group. They were all having a laugh. Sirius was smiling and laughing at something Remus had said. He didn't have a gaunt, sunken face, waxy skin, yellow teeth, or long, matted hair. He wasn't thin or hungry. His face wasn't waxy at all but handsome and full of laughter.

Sirius, in front of her, was a tall, well-built, darkly handsome man with fair skin, medium, lustrous black hair. His striking grey eyes were sparkling with love, humor and life. He had an air of casual elegance that highlighted his aristocratic beauty. There was no regret or sadness lurking in his eyes. He was definitely a heartthrob of the school. Harry could already see girls around him fawning over him. Harry stifled a smile. Of course, he was popular among girls.

Remus, looked tired and a bit haggard (was the full moon approaching?), but he was sitting straight and had life in his eyes. His clothes looked older in comparison to others but were well fitting and had no patches in them. He looked healthier and happier than Harry has ever seen him. He had the look on his face which he usually did when he gave a snarky reply.

Then there was Peter. That small, mousy-haired boy with a pointed nose. She gritted her teeth. This arsehole....he was leaning on Remus as uncontrollable laughter took over him. Oh, she wanted to hex the life out of him. That bastard! How dare he? Hermione tightened her hold on her hand and Harry breathed in deeply. She would ignore his sorry arse as much as she can, or might end up killing him.

Her stomach exploded in excitement and eyes got fixated on her father. He looked so handsome and youthful. He was tall, well built and muscular (not like a body builder but more than Sirius), with untidy hair that stuck at the back. He looked well cared for and adored. He had a boyish grin on his face which lit his extremely mischievous hazel eyes.

Harry smiled at the sight. She did look remarkably like him. They had the same untidy hair (hers was longer now), thin face, mouth, eyebrows, and even hands. Her nose was bit longer than her father's but she was definitely his daughter. In Snape's memory, her father and she had almost similar height, now he was taller than her by couple of inches.

Harry grinned at seeing this version of her father and then her inhaled sharply, as she saw a thick, dark red hair girl, whose hair fell to her shoulders, with stunning figure and green almond shaped eyes, walking towards her dad. Harry looked at her own body consciously. Why couldn't she had gotten her mother's figure? Her mother was beautiful. No wonder dad made an utter fool of himself in front of her!

Mom smiled sweetly at dad and kissed him on the lips. Sirius, Remus and Peter whistled loudly. Dad blushed but was grinning like a fool. He rumpled up his hair, making it even messier than it was before, and got her to sit down next to him.

Harry got so lost in watching them that she didn't realize that they have stopped moving and the sorting has started. One girl brushed past her and broke her intense gazing of the people, who in future would be her family ... and die protecting her. She shook her head and looked at the proceedings. They were standing close to the people who she was gazing at, so she did hear Sirius sudden gasp of breath.

She covertly looked at them and Sirius was looking at the transfer students like lighting has stuck him. She couldn't understand what has happened. Dad looked at Sirius in question and then followed his eye line. He looked at Harry with furrow and then, his face cleared up. He turned with a delighted expression to look at Sirius. Hermione moved a bit and blocked their view of Harry. Harry looked at Hermione and she shrugged. That was weird. What was that about?