The Girl Who Saw Tomorrow » Harry Potter

1.40 | Sealed Fate

A bright smile stayed on Margaret's face the whole time she was getting ready on Monday morning, and she knew for a fact that she was going to be just as happy for the rest of the day.

The window was partly open, a waft of cold air drifting in and waving the curtains gently. The little chirps of early birds sounded outside, where only outlines of mountains were visible in the tender darkness. Two early copies of The Quibbler lay open on the desk, one still rolled and one open.

Harry's face sheepishly grinned out of the open one as she picked up the rolled one and grabbed the basket full of food that she had collected from the kitchens only moments ago. Glancing out of the window at the bluish twilit sky one last time as she teleported away.

If he knew, Dumbledore would certainly disapprove of her actions. There was a reason why he was keeping the two apart. But she, Margaret, was also aware that he would come to realise later on that he had been making a mistake.

At any rate, she had to share this. It would mean the world.

Reappearing in the empty, dark lounge, she willed her eyes to turn scarlet to find the door. Quietly as she could, she quickly made her way up to the topmost floor that she had only been to once before.

Her eyes lingered on the door labelled R. A. B. for a moment before she shook her head, turning to the door opposite labelled S. B. Squinting slightly, she realised that the metal nameplate had been scratched; 'Padfoot' was carved in the wood under it. Smiling at this, she reached up to knock twice.

There was no noise for a moment, so she knocked again, louder this time, and heard a muffled gasp, some shuffling, a loud crash and finally a groan.

Margaret chuckled, rather giddy despite the ungodly hour. "It's me! Margaret!"

"...Margie?" a muffled voice comes from the other side.

There was some more shuffling before the door opened to reveal a half-asleep Sirius Black blinking at her beaming face in confusion. His hair and beard was a mess and he was wearing no shirt, his rather impressive tattoos on display, over his pyjama pants with paw prints on them.

"Morning!" she says cheerfully, holding up the magazine and the basket, and attempting a British accent, "I bring with me some good news and pancakes, good sir!"

If possible, Sirius looked even more confused, tilting his head at her.

"Right, erm... sorry for showing up at this hour," she says sheepishly before her eyes widen in excitement again, "I promise it's worth it!"

Sirius chuckled at her enthusiasm, trying to wake himself up by rubbing his eyes.

"You're always welcome here, Margie," he tells her, voice rough from sleep. Scratching his head, he gestured the stairs, yawning hugely. "Why don't you... head to the kitchen? I'll be there in a jiffy-"

"Okay!" she exclaims, smiling brightly. "Don't take too long!"

When Sirius entered the kitchen, now with a shirt on and his hair tied neatly, he was met with an aroma of freshly cooked breakfast that caused a feeling of nostalgia to flutter in his chest. He could close his eyes and pretend, if only for a moment, that he was back at Hogwarts.

"To what do I owe this early surprise?" he asks Margaret, snapping out of his reverie and taking a bite of the bread he had just picked up, watching her wandlessly serve the food.

"Harry," she answers, smiling.

"Harry?" he repeats, eyebrows drawing closer. "Is he all right? Is Snape giving him a hard time with Occlumency?"