All the Time in the World | Sirius Black

13. Trusty Parakeet

Since my second year of Hogwarts, I had either spent Christmas Holidays with Harry, Ron, and Hermione at Hogwarts or at the Burrow with Harry and Ron. Because I was sorted into Gryffindor, my family unofficially disowned me, barely writing to me and not inviting me back home for the Holidays. Instead, I spent second through sixth year Christmas Holidays with my friends, and Easter Holidays with either the Malfoys or at Hogwarts. For Summer Holiday, I spent two weeks at my Childhood Home, by myself, then two weeks with the Malfoys (not sixth or seventh year Summer), and then the rest of it at the Weasleys with Harry— Hermione would usually tag along the last two weeks of Summer.

So, much like my future time, I was due to spend my Christmas Holidays at Hogwarts with my new friends. Unfortunately, I was stuck with only the Marauders as both Lily and Marlene left to go to their families for the break; Severus was staying for the Holidays, but I knew it would probably be unlikely that I saw him.

It was the first day of Christmas Holidays, a Wednesday. I said my farewells to Lily and Marlene, and groaned at how alone I'd be.

Over the last four days, Sirius had profusely apologized to me, for the Christmas Party incident, to the point where I forgave him just so he would stop annoying me. James did the same, but Lily seemed to have more patience than I did and left James, a sad mess, for me to deal with.

Regardless of the fact that there were about a dozen students staying, I was one out of the three girls, and the only sixth year girl, that stayed. Two first year Hufflepuffs and one fourth year Ravenclaw stayed behind, leaving the castle virtually empty with only teachers and ghosts to keep us company.

But Gryffindor Tower had loads of company. Whatever shenanigans the Marauders' decided to do would most likely involve me, unless Remus talked some sense into them— probably won't happen because even Hermione got looped in with Harry and Ron's foolishness.

And Thursday afternoon showed me just that.

"How is you that you're one of the only girls that stayed for the Holidays?" James asked tactlessly.

I occupied my favorite armchair in the common room and was reading a muggle book, The Children's and Household Tales, that Hermione had told me about.

"Well, Potter, I am a Gryffindor that comes from a Slytherin Household, I believe you can put two and two together," I said absentmindedly.

When James didn't respond, I looked up from my book to see him with a completely disgusted face as if the idea of prejudices within families never occurred to him.

"That's horrible," he said.

"That's what its like being a pureblood," I breathed.

"My family isn't like that."

"Must be nice," I mumbled bitterly to myself. "I bet your family is lovely, James," I added when he pouted.

James said nothing more on the situation and left me to read in peace. I barely made it past the first story when I heard the stomping of another. Just as I decided to ignore it, something hit me on the forehead. Looking down art my book, I noticed a small piece of candy lying in the fold. Internally groaning, I picked up the candy, bookmarked my book, and looked up to see a toothy smiled boy staring at me from behind the couch.

"Really, Sirius?" I sighed, holding up the licorice. "What would you like?"

"Are you really reading on a Holiday?" he gasped dramatically.

"Well, I'm trying, but I haven't been able to get past the first chapter, so I'm going to assume that reading isn't going to be very doable over the next two weeks."