The Squib and the Werewolf

48. Responsibility

To appease Remus, Raya went home several times a week to see her father. But she never slept over, preferring to return to the Potter manor each night, instead.
She continued to do this for the rest of the holidays, as she just couldn't face sleeping in her old bedroom, so close to the place her mother had died. And being around Lyall for too long, just made her feel sad.
The Potters did everything they could to make Raya feel welcome in their house. So, she never felt the urge to return home, because she knew she would be happier if she stayed with her friends.
Peter came to visit once a week, and despite moving away, Sirius still came back every single day, whereas Remus would come every other day.
This meant that Raya was seeing James more than anyone else, and at times she forgot that he wasn't her biological brother, because the pair acted just like real siblings.

One morning, Raya was rudely awoken from her sleep, when the bedroom door swung open and Fleamont entered the room.
She looked either side of her and saw Sirius and James stiring in their sleeping bags.
The three of them had made a pillow fort in James's room, while slightly intoxicated, out of bedsheets and cushions the night before, and they'd fallen asleep inside it.
"What is it dad? It's too early" grumbled James as he pulled his head inside the sleeping bag.
"Your Hogwarts letters have arrived" explained Fleamont, as he raised three envelopes in their air.
James immediately pulled his head back out of the sleeping bag and scrambled out of the fort, with Raya and Sirius close behind him.

"Don't worry Raya, Euphemia and I will pay for any new school things this year" reassured Fleamont.
"Thank you" replied Raya politely.
"It's strange how Dumbledore always knows where to send our Hogwarts letters each year" commented Sirius, as they all took their letters from Fleamont.
"He doesn't miss a trick that man" smiled Fleamont.
"I think it's kind of creepy that he knows where we sleep. I mean, he didn't send Peter's or Remus's here, did he?" Asked Raya.
"No he didn't" answered Fleamont.

"I think Dumbledore knows us better than we know ourselves, which is how he always knows where we will be, before he sends the Hogwarts letters out" admitted James.
"I still think it's weird. I mean, he can't have known for sure that the three of us would spend the night here" replied Raya.
"He might not have known for sure. But his guesses are usually right. And you and Sirius do sleep here more than anyone else, so it was safe to assume that you would be here today at some point"
"I guess".

The three of them opened their letters and began reading through the list of books they needed to buy that year.
But as James opened up his letter, something small fell out and hit the floor.
Everyone in the room paused and looked down at the small badge on the floor.
"Is that a Head Boy badge?" Questioned Sirius.
James bent down and picked it up, before gulping and nodding his head, "It is. Which means that I am Head Boy".

"I guess knuckling down and studying hard paid off. I told you that you could do it, well done" praised Raya.
"I can't believe that Dumbledore really chose me" mumbled James.
"He must have faith in you. Your actions last year proved to him that you are a noble Gryffindor whom people can look up to" replied Raya.
"Us Marauders are going to have to watch out backs, now that we have a Head Boy in our group, who can report us for all our wrongdoings" grinned Sirius.
"You'd better not let power go to your head, James" added Raya.
"It's already ginormous" teased Sirius.

James didn't smile, instead he just stared down at the badge, in shock.
"We were just joking" insisted Raya.
"I know" murmered James.
"Well done my boy, I knew you could do it" cheered Fleamont, as he patted James on the back.
"Thanks dad" replied James, awkwardly.
"I am so proud of you. Oh, I had better go and tell your mother, she will be over the moon" announced Fleamont, before heading out of the room.

"Come on Head Boy, say something" encouraged Raya.
"I don't know what to say. I know that I really wanted this. But now that I've been chosen, I'm not sure that I'm ready for such a big responsibility. Everyone in the school is going to look up to me, including the Prefects from Gryffindor and the other houses. And if anyone ever looks back at the school records, they will be able to see that I was Head Boy. That's a lot of pressure on me. Dumbledore is going to expect me to succeed, as will my parents. But how do I know that I will be any good?" Questioned James.

Raya placed her arm around his waist and rested her head onto his shoulder, "You will be great, trust me".
"How do you know?" Quizzed James.
Raya lifted up her head and looked at his face, "Because I know you, James Potter. You are the leader of this group, so you've already had loads of practice at leading people. You never fail at things once you set your mind to them, so I know that you will succeed".
"Do you really think I've got what it takes?" Quizzed James.
"Dumbledore believes in you, isn't that what matters?" Asked Sirius.
"I suppose" mumbled James.

"James, I know that you will make a great Head Boy, because I've watched you do amazing things already. You befriended a werewolf and a Squib, not many people would do that. You also risked your life to save your enemy, showing that when it comes down to it, you will do the right thing, no matter what the consequences will be. Not to mention the fact that you are an excellent Quidditch player, and you also have amazing grades. You are the kind of person that 1st years would look up to you, even if you weren't Head Boy. And you don't need to worry about being alone, because you will have the Head Girl, and a whole bunch of Prefects to support you" reminded Raya.

"Speaking of Prefects, did you get picked, Raya?" Asked Sirius.
"Of course not. McGonagall has already tried making a Marauder a  Prefect, to control the others in the group, and that didn't work. Because we misbehaved just as much as before Remus became a Prefect. So she probably didn't want to do that again" answered Raya.
"Yeah, but you are a great student, which is why I thought that you'd be chosen, since you are so smart" admitted Sirius.

"There's more to being a Prefect, than being an intellectual... I knew that I wouldn't be picked, because I'm a Squib, and I feel like the Prefects need to be able to do magic, to help the younger students. Dumbledore also isn't my biggest fan, because he knows that he can't control me, so he probably told McGonagall not to choose me" admitted Raya.
"Nevermind. While Prongs and Moony are off being spoilsports, you and I can have some alone time together, once we've ditched Peter" grinned Sirius.
"That's mean. I don't want Peter to be alone every evening... But I wouldn't mind spending quality time with you, once we get back to Hogwarts" smiled Raya.

"Guys, I have more news" announced James, who had begun to read the rest of his Hogwarts letter, while the other two were talking.
"What is it now?" Questioned Sirius.
"I've been made Quidditch Captain as well" answered James.
"Wow. You really are the golden boy, who can do no wrong" replied Sirius.
"You're not jealous are you?"
"Na, being the perfect kid was always Regulus's thing, not mine"
"Now that I'm Quidditch Captain, I can make you an official member of the team"
"I don't think McGonagall would want that, and she has the last say on who is on her team"
"But you had your punishment last year. She took you off the team, but she didn't say anything about keeping you off it this year".

Sirius sighed and shook his head, "Even if she did allow me back on, I wouldn't try out".
James frowned, "Why not?".
"Because like McGonagall said last year, I am a bad influence. I'm not the kind of person younger students should be looking up to" admitted Sirius.
"That's not true" insisted James.
"Prongs, I nearly got you and Raya killed last year, because of a prank I pulled. I made a stupid mistake, and my friends paid for it. Which proves that I should not be placed in charge of anything, ever. I don't want anyone looking up to me, and thinking that what I do is O.K. I am not a good role model, and I don't want to be".

Raya stepped away from James and placed her hand into Sirius's.
"You shouldn't be so hard on yourself. You have come a long way from the person you were before last Christmas. You made a mistake and you paid for it... But perhaps you're right. People shouldn't look up to bad role models, because it will only set them on a bad path. You are not like James, but that is alright. You don't have to be perfect, like him" informed Raya.
"I will try and do better this year though, as it is my last year at Hogwarts, I promise" replied Sirius.

"I know that both of you will be the best versions of yourselves this year, because you are 7th years now, and you turn 18 soon. You are not little kids anymore, and I am proud of the men you are becomming. Which is why I know you will do amazingly this year" announced Raya.
"Thanks, Lioness" smiled Sirius.
"You are welcome. And since I am always right, you had better not prove me wrong" replied Raya.
"We won't" insisted Sirius.
"Good. Now, let's go and get some breakfast, because I am starving"
"I'm right behind you".