Trouble (The Marauders Era» Sirius Black Fanfiction) *Editing*

7» Aunt Ali

Chapter Seven

Aunt Ali

<Ask no questions, hear no lies>

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The holiday break arrived quickly. Thea was very surprised to be greeted by her Aunt Ali right as she got off the train with a big hug and loud squealing. Her aunt was wearing a long purple dress, knee-high bright green socks, orange trainers, and a large pointed hat.

"Well, darling?" she said. "Do I fit in with your crowd?"

"Please stop!" Thea whispered, snatching the hat off her head. She then dragged her aunt away without saying goodbye to her friends.

The two hopped onto a train that would take them home to a small town of No-Majs called Beaumont Hill. Upon arrival, Thea felt very out of place, and quickly began to miss her home at Hogwarts. She tried to write letters to her friends over the break, but Aunt Ali would screech in terror whenever an owl landed on the windowsill. The only friend she managed to arrange plans with was Lily, who knew how to send mail the No-Maj way. The two quickly made plans for Lily to visit Thea for a few days.

"Ah!" Aunt Ali said when she spotted Lily. "Is that my new daughter's best friend?"

"For the last time," Thea grumbled. "Don't call me your new daughter."

But Ali was too excited to hear her. She ran at a wide-eyed Lily with arms outstretched and trapped her in a long hug. Thea was about to help free Lily when Ali pulled back.

"What lovely eyes you have!" she exclaimed. "Far more beautiful than Bird's!"

"Bird?" Lily said, but Ali was already rushing into the house with the urgency as if it was on fire. Thea silently paid for Lily's cab and led her into the house.

"Oh good!" the two heard Ali chirp as they walked through the door. "The biscuits are ready!"

They watched as she pulled a tray of horribly burnt biscuits out of the oven and dropped it onto the kitchen table next to the other trays of charred biscuits. Ali clapped her hands together happily.

She was a plump woman, with short, curly dark brown and gray hair that stuck up in every direction. She wore the wildest of outfits; somedays she would wear a  formal gown, leg warmers and a bathrobe, while other days she would wear an ugly, casual dress paired with large amounts of fancy jewelry and three pairs of slippers. No matter how ridiculous she looked, her confidence would never waver, and that was one thing Thea really respected about her aunt.

At first glance, you would think Aunt Ali's house was spotlessly clean and organized. But with a closer look, you would see the random objects in peculiar spots, like the toaster with two mittens in it perched above the toilet; the blankets folded neatly in a pile in the kitchen sink; and the orange juice-filled fish bowl sitting on the television.

"I see you're admiring my artwork," Ali said, moving to stand beside Lily, who was staring at a painting of a striped mushroom.

"It's lovely," Lily said, glancing over at Thea, who shrugged.

"Theadora, why don't you show Lily around the village?"