𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗼𝗰𝗸, harry potter

˗ˋ 104

CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED
AND FOUR
✧
-: fifth year :-

── IN WHICH SIRIUS IS 
TOLD OF THEIR WORRIES

. . .

"Oh, Sirius, I'm so grateful." Molly gushed, an attempt of her usual cheeriness rather than a overt show of worry about her husband's condition - she may have told everyone in Grimmauld Place that Arthur would certainly be okay, but there was still that potential of him not being. "They think he'll be there a little while and it would be wonderful to be nearer. Of course, that might mean we're here for Christmas, and I would hate to impose."

"The more the merrier!" Sirius cheered with such obvious sincerity that Mrs Weasley beamed at him, threw on an apron, and began to help with breakfast. His eyes landed on Aviana, who was staring sullenly around the kitchen, obviously deep in thought. "I wondered if you would be coming." He said, in a much quieter voice.

"Yes, well, there wasn't a chance for an invite, given that you're a wanted criminal and Hogwarts is developing into a totalitarian state to further the Ministry's mass-surveillance of Harry, so I wasn't just going to show up unannounced." Aviana replied, far too simplistically.

"You're always welcome here... if you want to be here, it's awful." Sirius replied, looking almost nervous. It was the first time they had properly spoken, face to face, and it seemed completely different to their final conversation in summer.

"It's perfectly fine. A little dusty, I should summon some of my house-elves to tidy up a bit, seeing as Kreacher is apparently incompetent, but it reminds me of the manor, so I don't particularly mind it." Aviana replied sharply. "I need to talk to you." She said, quite directly. "In private."

She stood up, to leave the kitchen. "Harry." She added, sharply, gesturing out of the kitchen once more.

"Is she always this demanding?" Sirius asked, all too cheerfully for the matter at hand, as he and Harry followed her out.

"Not always." Harry replied, quite shortly. He cleared his throat, coming to the sudden realisation amongst all the drama and horror of the night, that now Sirius was something other than a godfather to him - he was Aviana's father, the same Aviana who had openly spoken about snogging him in corridors because apparently they were dating. He cleared his throat. "Er - no, not usually. Seems to think she has some kind of reputation to uphold-"

"Ah, but she does." Sirius hummed knowledgably, meeting Harry's eyes as they left the kitchen behind, tapping the side of his forehead twice as he grinned. "To my complete dismay, she's been brought up a Rosier, they have all kinds of preconceived notions about how they should act. All completely full of themselves. I knew Evan more than I knew William, friends with my brother, and if William was anything like him... egos so big they couldn't take a step without tripping over them. Reckon she's a bit more like me than she wants to be though, after hearing about all the Umbridge stuff."

"Yeah." Harry said. "Probably... don't think she's feeling great about the whole thing."

Aviana stood, waiting for them in the drawing room. It remained untouched, but clean, the same furniture that had been there for years beforehand. "Took your time, didn't you?" She asked, her hands on her hips as she looked between them as though awaiting something, before decisively settling expectantly on Harry. "Well?" She asked.