𝙰 𝙳𝚘𝚐 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙰 𝙳𝚘𝚟𝚎 - 𝑠𝑖𝑟𝑖𝑢𝑠 𝑏𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑘

Chapter 14

"I'm sorry Lia. I wasn't aware Petunia had planned to have her wedding over Christmas in France," Lily apologised early one morning, seated opposite Aurelia in the Great Hall. It was a Sunday, and the letters had just arrived, including one for Lily from her parents, stating that they would not be able to have Aurelia over for Christmas this year.

Lily had been Aurelia's last resort after both Wendy and Kira's parents had informed them of holidays and family gatherings.

"It's okay Lily, I'll just stay here for Christmas. Many other students do," Aurelia insisted, taking a bite out of some buttered toast. She smiled at Lily to reassure her she would be fine, but Lily knew her too well.

"Aurelia, you know you can tell me how you feel, right? You're my best friend, please don't smile and reassure me just for the sake of it," Lily said firmly, reaching out to hold Aurelia's free hand.

This time Aurelia's smile was genuine – the love she and Lily shared for one another was one none of their friends could understand. The two girls were bonded by their unique experience of being raised by muggles, with an everlasting knowledge that each day could be their last.

"Promise you'll always be my best friend, Lily?" Aurelia asked, sliding her pinkie out towards Lily.

Lily joined their pinkies together, before pressing her lips gently over Aurelia's thumb. "Forever, Lia. We'll be best friends even when we are old and can not longer stand. I may even name my future child after you, who knows."

"You're pregnant?!"

James' shrill voice matched his equally shocked face, before it morphed to anger, then sadness. "Who's the father? Don't tell me it's Martin from Hufflepuff."

Lily and Aurelia shared a look before they burst out into laughter, holding onto each other for support. "Oh-oh god, could you imagine a red-headed Martin baby!?" Lily wheezed, coughing from how much she was laughing. Aurelia let out an odd squeaking noise, and they began to laugh even harder, falling under the table.

Sirius, Remus, and Peter, who had just entered the Great Hall, all raised an eyebrow at James, whose mind was in a flurry.

And then he fainted, smack bang onto the table.

☽ ☼ ☾

"James, come on, wake up. There's a good lad."

James' nose wrinkled in disgust as Aurelia sat above him, his head in her lap, and an assortment of herbs wrapped up in a bundle in her hand. As his eyes blinked open, he realised he was back in his dormitory, on his bed, with no one else to be seen.

"Where's Padfoot? And Lily-Flower? What happened?" he asked groggily, using Aurelia's arm to sit himself upright. She smiled, vanishing the herbs away from her hand, and patted James' shoulder in a friendly manner, standing up.

"Sirius is with Remus and Peter grabbing lunch for us, and Lily is fetching me a book from the library. You fainted after going into a little fit of hysteria thinking Lily was pregnant," Aurelia answered honestly, nudging James with her shoulder. "Which, by the way, thank you for that, I needed a laugh after this morning."

James' brow furrowed at that last sentence. "Why? Did someone hurt you? I swear to Godric, Lia if someone hurt you the boys and I will prank them mercilessly."

Aurelia laughed, shaking her head, before leaning it against James' shoulder. "No, no, no one has hurt me. It's just, I have nowhere to go this Christmas, all the girls are away, but the castle is dangerous for me to be in by myself. I would go home, but, you know, my father doesn't particularly care for me."

"You're coming with me and Sirius then," James said immediately, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "I mean, if you want, but my mother's been dying to meet you since Sirius and I told her about how much you've helped us these past few months, and we've got the room. Plus, Arthur and Molly Weasley are coming by with their three sons, Bill, Charlie and baby Percy, and Molly will adore you."

"Are you sure?" Aurelia asked, not wishing to burden James' parents. But he still nodded, secretly hatching a plan in his head, of which he would divulge with everyone else bar Sirius and Aurelia later.

"As sure as sure can be, Lia," he replied, removing his arm to roll up his sweater sleeves. "You're practically my little sister, hell, I think you've scolded me this year more times than Minnie has, and no one should be alone on Christmas."

Tears sprung to Aurelia's eyes, as she leapt onto James, hugging his neck tightly. James chuckled, rubbing her back to calm her down, and when the boys and Lily returned, he held his finger to his lips, still rocking Aurelia in his arms. "Lia, I don't mean to ruin our moment, but everyone's come back," he whispered.

"Why is she crying, Prongs?" Sirius asked, taking a seat on James' bed. "Did you say something stupid?"

Aurelia lifted her head from James shoulder, meeting Sirius' eyes with a shy smile. Sirius didn't like the sight of dried tears on her face, so he wiped them away tenderly, as both the rest of the Marauders and Lily shared a knowing look.

"No, James actually said the right thing for once. I'm joining you both for Christmas, and I was expressing my happiness, Siri," she said, leaning her head on his shoulder. "You're stuck with me."

Lily smiled as she leant against Remus, her arm looped with Peter's. She was glad Aurelia would be going home for Christmas with the two boys, who would no doubt allow for her to finally feel as if she belonged in the Potter home. Even when Aurelia had gone home with Lily, Petunia had always gone out of her way to make both girl's feel horrible about themselves, and Aurelia already received that enough during her summer break.

Sirius still hadn't spoken.

"Sirius, are you listening?" Aurelia asked, planting the palms of her hands firmly to the sides of his face. He blinked once, then twice, before he broke out into a smile, tackling Aurelia onto James' bed.

"CHRISTMAS WITH TWO OF MY BEST FRIENDS!" he shrieked, tugging James back onto his bed. Aurelia giggled as Sirius hugged both her and James tight, his natural musky scent smelling slightly of the fresh parchment he often borrowed from Aurelia. "We're going to have a snowball fight, and bake the biggest gingerbread house ever, and then I'll take you down to the local muggle village and show you my favourite music shop and-"

Aurelia slapped her hand over Sirius' mouth just so that he could take a breath. "Siri, it's still October. You still need to turn seventeen, and so does Wendy, and then we'll talk about Christmas. Who knows, maybe James' mum and dad might not wish for me to stay with them," she suggested.

Sirius looked like he had been slapped across the face.

"My mum will do no such thing!" he said, cuddling her head to his chest. "I'll smuggle you if I have to."

"Shove off her, I haven't received my daily hug today," Remus whined, opening his arms up for a hug from Aurelia. She carefully pried Sirius off her, handing him to Lily who opened her mouth to complain. Sirius hugged Lily just as tight, and the older girl sighed, before hugging him back.

Aurelia was in Remus' arms in no time, the familiar scent of milk chocolate reaching her nose. She reached a hand up to his face, making a grabbing motion as she pulled away, and a piece of chocolate was summoned to her hand, Remus breaking a piece off for himself.

"OOOO MOONY I WANT SOME!"

"Yes, Prongs."

"ME TOO MOON MAN!"

"Yes, Padfoot."

"I don't want to int-"

"Just take some, Wormy. I'm too old for this."