Genetics • Sirius Black

Chapter Sixty Seven: Questions For Ms.Grey.

For someone with approximately three friends, Freya Grey made out like a bandit in terms of sweets. They were pooled together and then neatly sorted on her hospital bed. Wrappers were littered around while her companions scavenged through them. Freya had already made a list of all the people to thank (and that she was expected to give gifts to when they were ill). Notes and cards were stacked on Freya's bedside table.

Right by her side was Regulus Black weeding through a box of Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans (failing miserably to get the ones that were not rotten eggs or dirt). He spat another bean out in the communal trash can that had other regrets in it and set it down between himself and Severus Snape.

Severus Snape was splitting a treat with Marlene McKinnon, who sat across from him. To his side was Lily Evans, combing through a pack of Spangles, a muggle hard candy, that Dorcus Meadows had left Freya with a card.

Next to Freya's bedside table was Remus Lupin nibbling on half of the high-end chocolate Bartemius Crouch Jr. had left for Freya while Freya was working on the other half.

Marlene stopped chewing on the candy in her mouth, and through it, she asked. "Who gave you these?"

Freya glanced at the bag. "Seraphine Wilkes."

Holding back a gag, Marlene saw Severus's nose wrinkle with regret as the taste hit him too. Marlene wanted to rip her tongue off. "Seraphine does not like you."

Regulus held the trash can under Sev's mouth, and Sev dropped the candy in. Then Regs passed it to Marlene. She took it, spat out the biggest piece, and scraped her tongue against her teeth to get the flavor out. Being the one next to Marlene, Remus could not help the disgust and made a face at her excessive response. "Ew." A look entered her eye. She opened her mouth at him and made the noise one makes at dentist's offices. He saw the remnants of her unchewed candy and leaned away from her. "Stop."

However, Marlene, being the last born of three, was not one to shy from annoying someone. Spitefully, she kept the rest of the lousy candy in her mouth to show Remus.

A grin broke out on Reg's face first, but everyone else followed suit, watching the duo in amusement as Remus pushed Marlene's chair away with his foot.

"Marlene, leave Remus alone," Lily said, on the verge of laughter.

"Most people try to keep the candy inside their mouth, Ms. McKinnon." A voice chimed, making them all freeze. Marlene's head whipped around to see Minerva McGonagall in a long sweeping black robe and pointed hat. 

"McGonagall." Marlene greeted with a tense jaw since the bitter candy was still there, but her eyes turned wide at the person beside her. "Headmaster."

"Ms. McKinnon." Albus Dumbledore greeted back, bowing his red satin-clad head at her. Never-ending amusement twinkled in his pale blue eyes behind his half-moon glasses. A hot shade of pink, Marlene kept her mouth closed, and Remus gave her a look riddled with spirit. She glared but said nothing as their Head of House and Headmaster circled around the bed. "You've got some good spoils."

"Indeed, I haven't had a Spangle in a while," Lily replied, her tone friendly as ever, but Freya's nerves were on end. She fought the urge to shield Reg with her arm but knew it would do nothing for them. The younger boy, however, had just witnessed his best friend on her deathbed and was ready to let a few words roll off his tongue that would have him barred from school. Oblivious to this, Lily kept her smile. "Want to try one?" Dumbledore opened his palm, and she dropped a red one in.

Plopping it in his mouth, he rolled the hard candy on his tongue, a look of pleasant surprise on his face. "Do I bite it or suck on it?"

"I'd say wait a little before biting, but it's not a Jawbuster if that's what you're worried about." She explained.