Potter | 𝘚𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘶𝘴 𝘉𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘬

Chapter 91

"It's Sirius!?" Mr. Potter exclaimed, going paler than before, if that was even possible.

Jenna's hair then turned a silvery color as she watched her father with worry.

"Now I wish it actually was Marlene..." he muttered as he melted down to one of the seats around the kitchen table, swallowing. "Out of all the people you could've gone out with..."

"I — I couldn't help it!" Jenna tried to reason, but her dad didn't seem to be able to hear her.

"I-I think I'm having a stroke," he mumbled weakly, loosening his collar. "Mia, can you hand me a glass of water?"

"The dramatic arse of this man, I swear..." Mrs. Potter muttered to herself as she poured him a glass and handed it back to him.

She then sat on one of the free chairs as her and Jenna stared at Fleamont in silence, who had his gaze fixed at nowhere.

She waited for him to say something, but he barely even blinked.

"This is starting to get a little awkward," Jenna whispered to her mother.

"Only starting?" said Mrs. Potter, scoffing.

But just when they thought that the situation couldn't get any worse, Sirius walked into the kitchen.

"Hello," he said cheerfully, smiling at the three.

Jenna started gesturing with her hands for him to leave and run away while he had the chance, but it was too late, because Mr. Potter's head had already shot up and he had seen him.

"You!" he said sharply, glaring at Sirius. "Get in here. Now."

Gulping, Sirius obeyed and hesitantly walked toward the table, pulling out a chair as Jenna sent him apologetic glances.

"So," Mr. Potter started angrily, lacing his fingers together, "you think you can just go out with my daughter, do you?"

"W-well, that was the general idea," said Sirius, causing Mrs. Potter to face-palm at that.

"If you ever hurt her —"

"Dad!" Jenna retorted.

"I would never do that," said Sirius sternly, as if it was now a reflex. "And I won't let anybody else hurt her either. I'll protect her at all cost."

"Smooth," Mrs. Potter muttered, looking impressed.

"Well, I've made sure to raise my daughter in a way that she could take care of herself without ever needing any guy," said Mr. Potter.

But nevertheless, he seemed a bit calmer after Sirius's words. So he went on,

   "But if this is what the both of you want... then there are going to be rules."

Jenna groaned, but Sirius nodded firmly.

"If you're going to live under this roof, both of your doors will be open at all time. No sneaking off. No locking doors. No lovey-dovey business in this house —"

"So it's okay if it's outside?" said Jenna with a mischievous grin, causing her father to glare at her.

"Well, you don't have worry about any of that, Mr. Potter," said Sirius.

"Wait — he doesn't?" Mrs. Potter raised a brow at him in disbelief, as if she didn't believe for a second that Sirius was going to behave.

"No," he shook his head, "because I'm not going to stay here much longer."

"What?" Jenna muttered weakly, turning to face him. "Look, you really don't have to. My dad will cool off eventually —"

"No, it's not that." Sirius shook his head again. "My Uncle Alphard passed away a few months back — we weren't that close — but he still left me a decent bit of gold. You've all been so kind to take me in until now, and I'm so grateful — but I think I'll be moving out now that I'm of age. I don't want to be a burden to you any longer."

And with that he stood up from behind the table, nodding politely at them before he walked out of the kitchen.

"Thanks a lot, Dad," said Jenna flatly, jerking up from her seat and going upstairs, shutting the bedroom door close behind her.

There was a small pause, before Mrs. Potter started clapping sarcastically, glaring at her husband.

"Oh, what?" Mr. Fleamont rolled his eyes, folding his arms grumpily.

"A little support would've been nice!"

"Hey, that was me being supportive!" said Mr. Potter defensively. "If I wasn't being supportive then I would've —"

"—You would've what, Fleamont? Kicked the boy out?"

"I-I didn't say that —"

"— Good! Then let's agree that it wouldn't kill you to at last try to be happy for them."

"I am happy for them! Only — it's just that — out of all the people she could've chosen, why him? Look, James has told me what kind of a boy Sirius is. And as funny as I found those stories while hearing them, I don't want my little girl involved in such things!"

"Well, then open your eyes, Fleamont. Because they go to the same school. So whether you ban it inside this house or not, they have a lot of chance to get involved in those things back there."

By those words, Fleamont leaned back in his chair, feeling his mouth go dry and his eyes widened, looking as if someone had just slapped him.

"But — but they're just kids," he muttered, staring down at the table.

"That's not what you thought when we were their age," said Mrs. Potter, grinning at him knowingly.

Fleamont chuckled at the memories, but then shook his head, frowning again. "That was different! We were in love!"

"And what makes you think that they aren't?"

"I — well — I just thought —"

"That's the thing, Fleamont. You didn't think," said Mrs. Potter, sighing. "You've been too busy wishing that James and Jenna would be your little kids forever that you missed the fact that they grew up."