The Runner Girl | Remus Lupin

~ mulciber, not jones ~

My mother waits for me at the station, her lips pursed together in a thin line. She holds her handbag tightly and has her arms crossed. Her foot taps in impatience, giving me a clear sign to hurry up. I can see my father standing behind her which indicates why she looks so cold. She has to keep up an appearance.

I get off the train with Cissy, Aggie and Josie whilst Lia strays behind a bit, clearly seeing the harsh looks on my parents' faces. They come with me to greet my parents.

"Mother, father, these girls are the Slytherins that I made friends with." I say, nodding towards my friends, gulping slightly out of nervousness.

"My god, Narcissa Black. It's been a while since I've seen you." My mother says, holding her hand out for Cissy to shake.

"Lovely to see you again too, Mrs Mulciber." Cissy smiles pleasantly before looking at me with a confused expression.

Shit.

They didn't know who my parents actually were. I lied to them, saying that my surname is Jones when I met them. But I'm not a Jones, I'm a Mulciber. My family are not good people, but I want to be. 

Now they know though . And now, they look at me with slightly horrified expressions.

"I'll write to you guys over the holiday, but we need to go." I say, an apologetic look trying to show through my eyes. "See you soon."

I walk off, rucksack on my back with the essentials for the holiday: my wand, my cloak, my cat's crate and homework. Remus did an undetectable extension charm on it when we were revising last month, claiming he needed to practise the charm. I can hear Snuffles meowing at me to let him out, but I can't just yet.

As soon as we are out of sight of muggles once leaving the platform, we side-by-side apparate, arriving at the Mulciber Manor in no time. 

"Put your things away in your room, then we need to have a family discussion." My father says sternly, his face emotionless.

I walk up by myself to my room, the coldness of the upstairs floor hitting me fast. I wrap my school robes around me tighter and enter my bedroom. The black walls give off a cold feeling, but it gets made up by the light-coloured bed sheets. My pillows still sit neatly on my bed, exactly how I left them. Clutter covers parts of the floor and they make the room feel smaller. A couple of muggle lights hang over my bed to give me light when reading. 

I put my bag down in a corner and let Snuffles out of his crate. He immediately jumps up onto the bed and I sit beside him as I look around my room, sadness filling me up. I notice out of the corner of my eye, an indifference in my bookshelf. 

Quickly, I get up from my bed, rushing over to the bookshelf. One of my books is the wrong way round, highlighting that something has changed. When I flip it around, I notice a whole in the wall behind the bookshelf. I push the bookshelf with all my might to the side and  Isee a half-opened door that blends in with the wall. 

The door leads to a library which I never remembered to be there. Investigating the shelfs, I see loads of muggle novels as well as school textbooks and all sorts of other books. On the table in the middle, a note sits, written in my mother's perfect handwriting. 

I thought that this may make the place more homely for you. Don't tell your father about this, block it from your mind around him - he can't know. 

This place is protected from unwanted people coming in. No one can enter without your permission. 

With blessings, 

Mother. 

A small smile appears on my fae. That is a prime example of my mother's rebelliousness, a prime reason of why she can continuingly outsmart my father. It always brings amusement when she does something out of his knowledge because it shows that she dislikes him as much as I do. 

But now, I have to go to the family meeting; I don't get to enjoy this new hidden paradise. 

After changing into a black skirt with a bright green shirt, I head downstairs to the awkward silence of the dining room. Seated at the head of the table is my father, my mother to his left and to his right is Cayden.

Cayden stares at me with intrigue, trying to read my mind with legilimency. I laugh silently and block him out, thinking only of a chicken stew and letting it cover my thoughts. He gives me a filthy look and leaves my head, giving me a bit more privacy. I sit down in the seat next to my mother, my face becoming unreadable. 

"Clearly, an explanation is needed here." I say, my tone blunt and no emotion showing on my face.