-͟͟͞☆ Chapter 8

𝗡𝗼𝘄 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴:
"Sirius knows"
03:39 ━━━━●───── 07:23

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🛸✮☄

“Each friend represents a world in us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born.”
- The Diary of Anais Nin

THIRD PERSON POV 

"You sure he'll get free of all charges?" Sagira asked, tapping her foot impatiently on the floor. "Can you stop doing that?" Regan muttered annoyedly as the girl just looked at him boredly, "No, I can't." 

 "He will Esmeray, he hasn't done anything wrong now, has he?" Arilene said, patting the girl's head, who sighed. "I hope he gets cleared, or else he might not be able to go to Hogwarts, and then  Adalyn won't have a crush, and then I won't be able to see my favorite couple together," Sagira said, causing Adalyn to turn the deepest shade of red. 

"That's a good way to say it" Briony snickered joined by Lily. "When will they get together? It's fifth year already" Marlene said with a slight pout, "We've been waiting since third year"

"Maybe they get together this year? I mean Harry is also started having feelings for her, so who knows" Mary said looking at Marlene who just sighed.

"ESMERAYYYY" She groaned banging her head on the wall. "YOU HAVE A CRUSH ON HARRY?" Regan yelled pointing an accusing finger in her direction as if she did a crime. "CAN YOU BOTH SHUT THE HELL UP" Adalyn shouted back looking at the both of them with wide eyes. 

"Great now everyone will get to know" Sirius groaned shaking his head.

"BUT WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME?" Regan shouted back looking at her wide eyed too. "Well if you weren't an idiot, it wouldn't even be a need to tell you" Sagira snickered as the boy glared at her. "I am not talking to you" 

"Well neither was I talking to you but you still butted in like an ugly pest" She replied standing up from her seat and glaring at him. 

"I am waiting for them to get together too now" Marlene said as Mary nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, gives those enemies to lovers vibe"

"What's happening here?" Ron asked barging in followed by Hermione. 

"NOTHING, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING" Adalyn yelled looking at the youngest two to keep their mouth shut. "Um well if nothing is happening than why are you shouting?" Ron muttered scratching his head as the girl just shook her head. 

"Nothing, nothing is happening, let's just go downstairs" She said pushing him out of the room and turning around to glare at the others to follow her. 

"Hey-hey you don't need to push me, I can walk myself" Ron said but it went deaf to the girl's ear who just kept pushing him until they reached the kitchens. 

"What's happening?" Mrs. Weasley asked looking at the pair as Adalyn finally left the boy alone and stared at her. "Nothing, just the usual" She muttered taking a seat at the table and gesturing the boy to sit beside her from her eyes. 

"It is anything but just the usual" Ron muttered nervously before taking a seat beside her as the others including the Weasley's followed them behind. 

"Wait, so Ron has no idea about it?" Peter asked looking at them, his brows furrowed in confusion. "Boys can be dense sometimes" Lily shrugged with a bored look on her face.

Mrs. Weasley eyed the group suspiciously. How come they came down for lunch without the continuous minutes of shouting? 

Suddenly the kitchen door opened as all the eyes went there. "Cleared. Of all charges" They saw the beaming face of the boy standing at the door. 

"I knew it" James shouted bumping his fist with Sirius and Remus who grinned widely.

"I knew it!" yelled Ron, punching the air. "You always get away with stuff!" 

"They were bound to clear you," said Hermione, who had looked positively faint with anxiety when Harry had entered the kitchen and was now holding a shaking hand over her eyes. "There was no case against you, none at all. . . ." 

"Everyone seems quite relieved, though, considering they all knew I'd get off," said Harry, smiling. Mrs. Weasley was wiping her face on her apron, and Fred, George, and Ginny were doing a kind of war dance to a chant that went "He got off, he got off, he got off —" 

"Thank god or else-" Adalyn quickly put her hands over Sagira's mouth and narrowed her eyes at her, "Shut up or else I'll feed you to the Giant squids" The blonde girl just licked her hands causing Adalyn to quickly revert her hand and look at her in disgust. 

"She's going to tell Harry I am sure, she's going to snitch on her" Remus said shaking his head.

"Well no problems, it went smooth except the change of timings and venue" Sirius said entering the kitchen. 

"Harry dear, come and sit down, have some lunch, you hardly ate breakfast" Molly said standing beside Harry and enveloping him in a side hug. 

Harry seated himself opposite to Adalyn and give her a small smile which she returned back. "Who was there at your hearing?" Regan asked. "Fudge was the head, well obviously, and Amelia bones, she was rather supportive of me" Harry replied folding the sleeves of shirt and leaning his elbows on the table. 

" Course, once Dumbledore turned up on your side, there was no way they were going to convict you," said Ron happily, now dishing great mounds of mashed potatoes onto everyone's plates ."Yeah, he swung it for me," said Harry. He felt that it would sound highly ungrateful, not to mention childish, to say, "I wish he'd talked to me, though. Or even looked at me." 

And as he thought this, the scar on his forehead burned so badly that he clapped his hand to it. "What's up?" said Arilene looking alarmed. "Scar," Harry mumbled. "But it's nothing. . . . It happens all the time now"

None of the others had noticed a thing; all of them were now helping themselves to food while gloating over Harry's narrow escape; Fred, George, and Ginny were still singing. Well no one but. 

Adalyn chewed the insides of her cheeks as she stared at the boy in front of him. How more hot can one look? With his sleeves folded, raven hairs messier than ever and the slight sweat on his forehead that glistened under the dim light and the way he looked and talked to others with such politeness despite being in such stressful situation for a long time. 

"Well that's descriptive" Lily muttered massaging her temples while looking at James who winked in her direction.

Why can't she stop looking?

Well of course you can't stop looking when a f*cking hot meal in sitting in front of you. 

Narcissa stopped reading and stared at the book with her brows raised high. Meanwhile Sirius choked on his spit. On his spit.

"What in the name of Merlin" He wheezed patting his chest staring at the ground with his eyes blown wide. "You're overreacting Padfoot" James said rolling his eyes.

"I am not overreacting, this is a normal reaction" He said pointing his finger at his best friend, "it's all your fault"

"How is it my fault now? Make it make sense Padfoot" James said smirking at him.

"Do you have any inputs?" Rabastan asked nudging Regulus who just looked at him blankly. "What inputs am I supposed to have for my niece calling a boy a hot meal?"

Adalyn's eyes widen and without minding the fact that she wasn't alone, she smacked her head on the table and groaned loudly at her thoughts that caused the table to go quiet, but it seemed as if she didn't notice it at all. 

"Adalyn, what happened?" Sagira asked, patting the girl's shoulder, causing her to snap her head back so quickly that she was afraid it might have fallen off. Adalyn's eyes widened again as she saw everyone, the whole table, including Harry, looking at her worriedly. 

"Well... the cat's out of the bag" Marlene said shaking her head.

She gulped trying to speak something but it felt as if she has forgotten to speak. "Oh it's nothing, she was trying to solve a complex puzzle from a muggle book I gifted her, she's been like this the whole morning" Arilene laughed waving them off as everyone slowly diverted their attention from her and got engaged in their own thing. 

"Merlin, that was a nice save" Briony sighed looking at Lily who nodded.

Adalyn slumped in her seat and stared at Arilene with a helpless face. "You sure are alright Adalyn?" Harry asked softly causing the girl to jump back sitting up straight. 

Adalyn cleared her throat, forcing a smile that felt way too tight on her face. "Yep. Totally fine. Just... brain glitch. You know how it is."

Harry didn't look convinced. His brows drew together slightly as he tilted his head, still watching her. "You sure?"

"Absolutely," she replied quickly, before her mouth could betray her again. "Never been better. In fact, I feel so great I might go run a few laps around the house" That earned her a few chuckles, including a short one from Harry, though his eyes lingered on her for a moment longer.

"Well that's awkward now" Alice mumbled as Frank snorted from beside her, "well you get awkward in front of the person whom you were thinking as a hot meal few moments ago"

"Alright," he said and with that, he turned back to his plate, resuming his conversation with Ron and Hermione—though Adalyn could've sworn he glanced at her once more before looking away.

She turned to Arilene and gave her a silent thank you, which Arilene returned with a wink. Sagira leaned in and whispered, "Honestly, what were you thinking about that made you look like you were trying to telepathically burn a hole through him?"

Adalyn hissed, "Nothing! I was just... thinking about food." 

Sagira smirked. "Sure. Food with messy black hair, emerald eyes, and a Quidditch-toned jawline."

"Oh Merlin" James laughed falling on top of Remus who groaned, his face suddenly turning bright red as he pushed the boy off him. "Jesus Christ, what kind of kids they are" Lily said, though she was laughing loudly too.

"You are thirteen for merlin's sake" Adalyn groaned and face-planted into her arms again. This time, a little quieter.

"Let's go upstairs, I want to tell you all something" She heard Harry whispering to all them, and she knew she should get up and go with them, but honestly speaking, she can't, neither did she wanted to right now. Not after this embarrassing moment at least. 

"I'll come after some time" Adalyn said still not looking up as Arilene who was beside her nodded. And slowly everyone left the table and within a few minutes the Kitchen was empty. 

The silence in the kitchen stretched on for a moment too long. Adalyn sighed and finally sat up, her head pounding slightly from the force of her earlier face-plant. Just as she reached for the glass of water in front of her, her heart almost leapt out of her chest. Sirius Black was sitting across the table. Arms folded. One eyebrow cocked. A very complicated expression on his face.

"Oh no" Sirius muttered biting his lower lips, while staring at the book weirdly.

Adalyn froze. "How long have you been sitting there?"
"Long enough to see my daughter swooning over a boy," he said smoothly, though there was a forced nonchalance in his voice. Her entire soul exited her body. "I... what.... I was not swooning!"

"Oh Merlin, this is so good, oh padfoot, I wish I was there to see your face" James laughed, patting the boy's shoulder who rolled his eyes.

He just stared at her. Adalyn groaned, covering her face with both hands. "Oh my Godric, this is not happening."

Sirius leaned back in his chair, the faintest smirk tugging at the corners of his lips, but his eyes were scanning her carefully. "Look, I get it. He's got the broody-hero thing going for him. Messy hair. Tragic past. Quidditch star. But Merlin's beard, Mon etoile—Harry?" She let her head fall back on the table again with a soft thud. "You make it sound like I did it on purpose."

Sirius sighed and ran a hand through his hair, looking unusually serious. "I'm not... angry," he said after a pause.

"You're not? Well old age makes people lose their touch" James tuted shaking his head.

"I just didn't think I'd have to mentally prepare myself for this yet. And certainly not with him."

Adalyn peeked at him through her fingers. "You like Harry."

"I do like Harry," Sirius said quickly. "He's my godson, He's brave, kind, loyal, smart when he's not doing something reckless—"

"Which is almost always," Adalyn muttered.

There was complete silence for a moment before he sighed and looked at softly,

"I guess I just didn't think we were here yet. Crushes. Boys. It's terrifying."

Adalyn looked down at her hands. "I didn't plan it. It just... happened," She mumbled. Sirius was quiet for a long beat. Then, with a slight groan, he leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table. "Well... I suppose if it had to be someone, I'd rather it be someone I trust with my life."

"Here comes out the truth, I know your shipped them" James said looking too smug for his own good. "I don't ship them, absolutely not" Sirius defended himself but at the back of his mind, he also knew that if it has to be someone, it better be the replica of his bestfriend whom he trusted more than his life.

She blinked. "Wait. Does this mean you're okay with it?"
"No," he said firmly. "It means I'm going to pretend I didn't hear any of this. And if he hurts you, I will hex him into next week."

Adalyn laughed, then stood up and circled the table to give him a quick, hug. "You're a good dad, even when you're being emotionally constipated"
"Thanks, I think," he muttered, ruffling her hair like she was five. She pulled away and rolled her eyes. "I'm going to go upstairs before I actually die of embarrassment."
"Tell Harry I'm watching him," Sirius called after her as she left the kitchen.

"I'm not telling him anything!"

"Percy was there at your hearing?" Arilene exclaimed looking at her brother in shock. "Yes, he was there with fudge, against me" Harry said picking the threads of the mattress. 

"What?" James made a face glancing at baby Percy, who was currently sitting on the floor, eating his soft toy.

"Well, he's not been the kindest to his family too" She said glancing at the Weasleys who were preparing to sleep. 

"What happened?" He asked frowning as he looked in the direction of her gaze. 

"Percy and his Dad had a row, Ron told Mr. Weasley never shouts, it was the first week we after term ended y'know, Percy came and told them he'd been promoted." 

"I don't understand why there was an arguement between them cz of this" He said as the girl sighed. 

"Percy thought Mr. weasley would be impressed, only he wasn't. Apparently Fudge has been storming round the Ministry checking that nobody's having any contact with Dumbledore, Dumbledore's name's mud with the Ministry these days, see," Arilene sighed . 

"They all think he's just making trouble saying You-Know Who's back. Mr. Weasley says Fudge has made it clear that anyone who's in league with Dumbledore can clear out their desks, Trouble is, Fudge suspects Mr. weasley, he knows he's friendly with Dumbledore, and he's always thought Mr. weasley's a bit of a weirdo because of his Muggle obsession —" 

"But what's this got to do with Percy?" asked Harry, confused. 

"I'm coming to that. Mr. Weasley reckons Fudge only wants Percy in his office because he wants to use him to spy on the family — and Dumbledore." 

Harry let out a low whistle

"Shut up Harry" Arilene said rolling her eyes, "He went completely berserk. He said — well, he said loads of terrible stuff. He said he's been having to struggle against Mr. weasley's lousy reputation ever since he joined the Ministry and that Mr. Weasley's got no ambition and that's why they've always been — you know — not had a lot of money, I mean —" 

Arthur looked down at the floor, his cheeks dusting pink in embarrassment. Hearing it from others was one thing, but that coming from his own children was another heartbreaking thing.

"What?" said Harry in disbelief. 

I know," said Arilene in a low voice. "And it got worse. He said Mr. weasley was an idiot to run around with Dumbledore, that Dumbledore was heading for big trouble and Mr. weasley was going to go down with him, and that he — Percy — knew where his loyalty lay and it was with the Ministry. And he packed his bags the same night and left. He's living here in London now." 

Harry swore under his breath. He had always liked Percy least of Ron's brothers, but he had never imagined he would say such things to Mr. Weasley. 

"You know what Harry, you should sleep now, it's been a rough day" Arilene said patting his shoulder to which he sighed and looked at her hesitantly, "I actually wanted to ask something" He mumbled to which she raised her brows. 

"What?" but he didn't answer and continued staring at her causing her frown to deepen. 

"Arilene, coming to sleep?" Suddenly the door opened and Adalyn peeked inside looking at the girl, "Yeah coming, two minutes. What did you wanted to asked-Harry? Harry?" But she found her brother lost in his thoughts, staring at something or maybe someone. 

"He's so down bad for her now" Alice whispered as frank nodded, "that's how he should be for his future girlfriend"

She followed his gaze to find Adalyn standing at the doorway talking to Ginny about something. The red haired raised her brows as she turned back to her brother. Is he staring at-? OMG. 

"She completely misunderstood it didn't she?" James groaned hiding his face in his hands.

"She clearly did" Briony trailed off glancing at Arthur and Molly.

Arilene's eyes widened as she quickly snapped her fingers in front of his eyes. Good lord, if someone gets to even know about it, oh merlin, harry will be a walking corpse. Before voldemort could even touch him, he'll be long gone in his own house. 

"You were asking something? Ask quickly" She asked as the boy finally snapped to her and shook his head. "Nothing, Night" He said getting off the bed and scrambling off to the bathroom. 

Arilene sighed shaking her head before getting up from the bed. "Come Adalyn, let's go" She said dragging Adalyn away causing the girl to frown at her. "Good night Ginny, we'll talk tomorrow" Adalyn said waving at the girl who waved back with a grin. 

The fact was that living at the headquarters of the anti-Voldemort movement was not nearly as interesting or exciting as Harry would have expected before he'd experienced it. Though members of the Order of the Phoenix came and went regularly, sometimes staying for meals, sometimes only for a few minutes' whispered conversation, Mrs. Weasley made sure that every child were kept well out of earshot (whether Extendable or normal) and nobody, not even Sirius, seemed to feel that they needed to know anything more than they had heard on the night of Harry's arrival. 

"Well that's sad, personally I think I would have loved to join and fight" Sirius said as James and Remus nodded.

On the very last day of the holidays Harry was sweeping up Hedwig's owl droppings from the top of the wardrobe when Ron entered their bedroom carrying a couple of envelopes. "Booklists have arrived," he said, throwing one of the envelopes upto Harry, who was standing on a chair. "About time, I thought they'd forgotten, they usually come much earlier than this. . . ." 

 He then opened his letter: It contained two pieces of parchment, one the usual reminder that term started on the first of September, the other telling him which books he would need for the coming year. 

"Only two new ones," he said, reading the list. "The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 5, by Miranda Goshawk and Defensive Magical Theory ,by Wilbert Slinkhard." 

Crack. Fred and George Apparated right beside Harry. He was so used to them doing this by now that he didn't even fall off his chair. 

"We were just wondering who assigned the Slinkhard book," said Fred conversationally.

"Because it means Dumbledore's found a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher," said George. 

"Yes of course, the new Dada professor every year, I really think that position is cursed now" Rabastan exclaimed.

"And about time too," said Fred. "What d'you mean?" Harry asked, jumping down beside them. "Well, we overheard Mum and Dad talking on the Extendable Ears a few weeks back," Fred told Harry, "and from what they were saying, Dumbledore was having real trouble finding anyone to do the job this year." 

"Not surprising, is it, when you look at what's happened to the last four?" said George. 

"One sacked, one dead, one's memory removed, and one locked in a trunk for nine months," said Harry, counting them off on his fingers. "Yeah, I see what you mean."

"Sounds like a job" Evan muttered sarcastically, "I would remember to take up that position if I ever feel giving up all in future"

 "What's up with you, Ron?" asked Fred. Ron did not answer. Harry looked around. Ron was standing very still with his mouth slightly open, gaping at his letter from Hogwarts.

"What's the matter?" said Fred impatiently, moving around Ron to look over his shoulder at the parchment. Fred's mouth fell open too. 

"Prefect?" he said, staring incredulously at the letter. "Prefect?"

Someone burst in their room banging the door loudly, "You won't believe.. I mean you all would, obviously, but, Hermione is the new gryffindor prefect" Ginny cheered loudly looking at the boys who still had a very shock expression on their faces. 

"They all look as if we've told them someone died" Adalyn muttered looking at them with raised brows. 

"You won't believe, and not believe at all what we are about to say" Fred said as he showed Ron's letter to the girl, whose eyes comically widened as they stared at the letter with their mouth hung open. 

"Unbelievable" Adalyn mumbled her eyes moving back and forth between the letter and Ron. "They must have mistaken it" Ginny snickered, shoving the letter back to Ron's chest, "might have mixed up names" 

"Oh, they are the new Gryffindor prefects" Briony muttered and glanced at Lily who had her brows furrowed, "What happened Lils?"

"I thought Harry would be the prefect, not that it matters that much, but I thought after what he had done... maybe he should have been the prefect" She mumbled staring at the floor, "and Arilene is just as brilliant as Hermione is, I am not complaining but... God I sound so horrible right now"

"Let the boy breathe Lily flower, He already has too much on his plate, and you don't sound horrible, you just sound like a mother" James shrugged with a nonchalant shake of his head.

"Yeah well, but I shouldn't be so biased, I don't even know why am I saying all of this" Lily smacked her forehead. It wasn't like the kids didn't deserve it, but a part of her hoped that one of her kids would also be a prefect like she was.

Ron, who still had not said a word, took the badge, stared at it for a moment, and then held it out to Harry as though asking mutely for confirmation that it was genuine. Harry took it. 

A large P was superimposed on the Gryffindor lion. He had seen a badge just like this on Percy's chest on his very first day at Hogwarts. The door banged open again. 

Hermione came tearing into the room, her cheeks flushed and her hair flying. There was an envelope in her hand. 

"Did you — did you get — ?"She spotted the badge in Harry's hand and let out a shriek. "I knew it!" she said excitedly, brandishing her letter. "Me too, Harry, me too!" 

"No," said Harry quickly, pushing the badge back into Ron's hand. "It's Ron, not me." 

"It — what?"

 "Ron's prefect, not me," Harry said. 

"Ron?" said Hermione, her jaw dropping. "But . . . are you sure? I mean —"

She turned red as Ron looked around at her with a defiant expression on his face. "It's my name on the letter," he said.

"Well everyone's too shocked" Alice said as Frank nodded, "I mean I would have been too" he muttered lowly.

 "I . . ." said Hermione, looking thoroughly bewildered. "I . . . well. . . wow! Well done, Ron! That's really —" 

 "Unexpected," said George, nodding. 

"No," said Hermione, blushing harder than ever, "no, it's not . . .Ron's done loads of . . . he's really . . ." 

The door behind her opened a little wider and Mrs. Weasley backed into the room carrying a pile of freshly laundered robes.  

"Ginny said the book lists had come at last," she said, glancing around at all the envelopes as she made her way over to the bed and started sorting the robes into two piles. "If you give them to me I'll take them over to Diagon Alley this afternoon and get your books while you're packing. Ron, I'll have to get you more pajamas, these are at least six inches too short, I can't believe how fast you're growing . . .what color would you like?" 

"Get him red and gold to match his badge," said George, smirking. "Match his what?" said Mrs. Weasley absently, rolling up a pair of maroon socks and placing them on Ron's pile.

"His badge," said Fred, with the air of getting the worst over quickly. "His lovely shiny new prefect's badge."

 Fred's words took a moment to penetrate Mrs. Weasley's preoccupation about pajamas. "His . . . but . . . Ron, you're not. . . ?" Ron held up his badge. Mrs. Weasley let out a shriek just like Hermione's. 

"Even his own mother is disbelieved, what a personality" Lucius snickered shaking his head. "Lucius don't" Narcissa muttered but the man just leaned back against his seat, "you see there's a difference in upbringing that shows everything Narcissa, but obviously how can they afford it" He said with an ugly smirk tugging his mouth.

"I don't believe it! I don't believe it! Oh, Ron, how wonderful! A prefect! That's everyone in the family!" 

"What are Fred and I, next-door neighbors?" said George indignantly, as his mother pushed him aside and flung her arms around her youngest son.

"I feel bad for them" Sirius whispered, he could understand them perfectly. His parents- or whatever they were to him- fussed so much over his younger brother, he was the perfect son, the idol pureblood boy and he was just... well whatever he was.

"Wait until your father hears! Ron, I'm so proud of you, what wonderful news, you could end up Head Boy just like Bill and Percy, it's the first step! Oh, what a thing to happen in the middle of all this worry, I'm just thrilled, oh Ronnie —"

Fred and George were both making loud retching noises behind  her back but Mrs. Weasley did not notice; arms tight around Ron's neck, she was kissing him all over his face, which had turned a brighter scarlet than his badge.

"Mum . . . don't . . . Mum, get a grip. . . ." he muttered, trying to push her away. She let go of him and said breathlessly, "Well, what will it be? We gave Percy an owl, but you've already got one, of course."

"W-what do you mean?" said Ron, looking as though he did not dare believe his ears. "You've got to have a reward for this!" said Mrs. Weasley fondly. "How about a nice new set of dress robes?"

"We've already bought him some," said Fred sourly, who looked as though he sincerely regretted this generosity.

"Or a new cauldron, Charlie's old one's rusting through, or a new rat, you always liked Scabbers —"

"Mum," said Ron hopefully, "can I have a new broom?"

Mrs. Weasley hesitated, then smiled. "Of course you can. Well, I'd better get going if I've got a broom to buy too. I'll see you all later, Little Ronnie, a prefect! And don't forget to pack your trunks. . . . A prefect . . . Oh, I'm all of a dither!" She gave Ron yet another kiss on the cheek, sniffed loudly, and bustled from the room.

Fred and George exchanged looks. "You don't mind if we don't kiss you, do you, Ron?" said Fred in a falsely anxious voice. "We could curtsy, if you like," said George.

"Oh, shut up," said Ron, scowling at them. "Or what?" said Fred, an evil grin spreading across his face. "Going to put us in detention?" 

"Oh god, we have a prefect in the group, oh no wait, not one, we've got two prefects in our group, good gracious," Arilene mumbled shaking her head. 

"Well, enjoy party pooper" Fred said and with a crack, both of them disappeared. 

"Ron, come, we've got to tell the others too" Ginny squealed as she dragged the boy outside. 

"They're so happy" Arilene said as she smiled at the brother-sister laughing on their way out. "I guess, I'll pack my trunk too" She said glancing at the trio before going out of the room. 

For some reason, Harry found that he did not want to look at Hermione. He turned to his bed, picked up the pile of clean robes Mrs. Weasley had laid upon it, and crossed the room to his trunk. "Harry?" said Hermione tentatively.

"Well done," said Harry, so heartily it did not sound like his voice at all, and still not looking at her. "Brilliant. Prefect. Great."

"Well this is awkward, I hope he doesn't just lashes out on them again" Remus whispered as James shook his head, "He won't, he's just feeling bad but trust me he won't lash out on them"

"Thanks," said Hermione. "Erm — Harry — could I borrow Hedwig so I can tell Mum and Dad? They'll be really pleased — I mean, prefect is something they can understand —"

"Yeah, no problem," said Harry, still in the horrible hearty voice that did not belong to him. "Take her!" He leaned over his trunk, laid the robes on the bottom of it, and pretended to be rummaging for something while Hermione crossed to the wardrobe and called Hedwig down. 

A few moments passed; Harry heard the door close but remained bent double, listening; the only sounds he could hear were the blank picture on the wall sniggering again and the wastepaper basket in the corner coughing up the owl droppings. He straightened up and looked behind him. Hermione and Hedwig had gone. Harry returned slowly to his bed and sank onto it, gazing unseeingly at the foot of the wardrobe. 

He had forgotten completely about prefects being chosen in the fifth year. He had been too anxious about the possibility of being expelled to spare a thought for the fact that badges must be winging their way toward certain people. But if he had remembered . . . if he had thought about it . . . what would he have expected?

Not this, said a small and truthful voice inside his head. Harry screwed up his face and buried it in his hands. He could not lie to himself; if he had known the prefect badge was on its way, he would have expected it to come to him, not Ron. Did this make him as arrogant as Draco Malfoy?

 Did he think himself superior to everyone else? Did he really believe he was better than Ron? No, said the small voice defiantly. Was that true? Harry wondered, anxiously probing his own feelings.

"Aww my boy, he's too good for this world" Briony whispered with a small smile.

"You look like McGonagall just threw you out of the team" He flinched looking behind him to find Adalyn sitting on the bed with her legs propped up as she stared at him with a lopsided grin. 

"I-i no- I am happy that they got prefect" He cleared his throat turning to face her as her grin widened, "I never said you were unhappy" 

This caused him to turn silent and stare at her with a small frown. "I-i don't know how to say it" He fumbled fidgeting his fingers as he stared at the mattress. "You don't have to" Adalyn said, now looking at him with a small smile as the boy snapped up and looked at her, his eyes wide in confusion. "I know what you are feeling right now, your expressions, your demeanor, your eyes, it says it all" She said as he frowned again. 

"I didn't knew you noticed me so much" and that threw her off guard,

"Ooops, but why are boys so thick when it comes to this? How is it that it's been more than two years that she's crushing on him and he doesn't know about it?" Marlene asked her brows furrowing in confusion.

"And also the fact he fought with her for two years, God please don't make them fight again.... what if they fight this year too?" Mary whispered looking at her with wide eyes. "Don't say that Mary, I can't tolerate another year of their idiocy"

 "W-what? noticed? Come on, anyone who knows your for these many years would get to know how you're feeling, you aren't exactly a mysterious person now are you" She said and gave a sigh of relief when his gaze again averted to the mattress. 

"This could have been the perfect time for confession" James said, "or the worst" Remus said rolling his eyes.

"It's alright to feel like this, I mean, it's normal to feel jealous, yes Harry this is jealousy" She said as the boy looked ready to retort but stopped and just continued to sulk. 

"So, yeah it's ohk, you are a human, but I know you are fighting within yourself, trying to prove yourself wrong for thinking like this and that's the best part about you, you don't let your negative emotions or feelings overpower you..... well except a few times I guess" She coughed looking at him with a smirk as he looked ready to dig a hole for himself. 

"I was an idiot" He mumbled scratching his head, "and you ain't now?" She asked, "are we sitting here to do this?" He asked raising his brows, "Always a good time to prove you an idiot" She grinned as the boy just shook his head. 

"Look Harry," she said, standing up and brushing her palms together, "no one's saying you aren't good enough to be prefect. I mean, personally, I would've thrown the badge out of the window if they gave it to you, but that's just me" 

"Geez, Thanks" He said flatly. "But" she added, "It's not about being better than Ron, or Hermione, or anyone. Maybe Dumbledore just thought you had enough to deal with already" 

"Yeah maybe" He said, "Yes, now come let's go downstairs, you don't want Ron or Hermione to listen to your thoughts now will you?" She said walking across the room as he followed her, "Yeah you're right" He said as they walked out of the room. 

"You think our parents were prefects in their own time?" Adalyn asked, "Well my mum was prefect and then, dad and mom both became head girl and head boy" Harry answered with a small shrug, "Geez, are you flexing Potter? Cause I doubt anyone in their right mind would make Dad a prefect" She snickered but suddenly stopped in her tracks causing Harry to do the same. 

"What ha-" Harry opened his mouth to ask but got sushed by Adalyn as she went and peeked inside a room. "What are you doing?" He whispered hovering above her as he too peeked inside the room.

"Are you seeing what I am seeing, or am I hallucinating?" Adalyn whispered back as she rubbed her eyes and stared from the small opening of the door with wide eyes. 

"I think I am, or we both are hallucinating" Harry said, removing his glasses and cleaning them with his shirt before putting them on again. 

"Please don't tell me they are watching someone making out" Briony said with a horrified look on her face. "Who would be even making out in that house? I mean, there aren't any couples except Arthur and Mo-Oh shut up Bry" Lily laughed as Briony looked at her with a suggesting look at the last part.

"Don't you think peeking inside someone's room in wrong?" Harry mumbled as he stared at the two teenagers. "Well, not if that someone is my brother" She muttered squinting. 

"Ohk well what?" Sirius asked, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"How come Regan Black and Sagira Lupin are sitting together, in the same room, on the same bed, and there's no attempt of murder?" Adalyn mumbled exaggeratedly. 

"Maybe they've warmed up?" He said causing Adalyn to look up at him, "What do you mean warmed up?" 

"Well, maybe they've realized there are better ways to deal with their rivalry? Besides didn't Regan had a small crush on Esmeray?" Harry said as Adalyn kept staring at him, "You are not wrong, he did have a small crush on her" She said and looked inside the room again. 

"What does he mean by better ways to deal with their rivalry?" Rabastan muttered looking at Regulus with a small smirk as the boy flicked him off with his middle finger.

"What are they two exactly doing?" Sagira mumbled looking at the duo from her peripheral vision. "Let them be, their life is boring as usual, boring people tend to interfere in other people's lives" Regan frowned as his fingers twisted again while handling the knitting needles. "Why is this so difficult" He groaned putting them aside and looking at her with a scowl. 

"Don't stare at me like that, you asked me to teach you how to knit a star cz you wanted to give Adalyn a handmade gift, and didn't I say, not everyone is capable to do it? It takes talent to make one" She said snatching the needles and wool away from him, 

"Ohk this is cute" Lily whispered with a small smile. She always wished to have a brother of her own, but well....

Suddenly the door closed as Adalyn snapped back from her position, "What happened?" She asked turning to Harry who shook his head, "We should just go back to our rooms and do something productive" 

"Look who's saying" 

"Chapter's over"

"I'll read" Snape said taking the book.

Sneak peek into the next chapter

"Must be hard walking around with the personality of a stale parchment wouldn't it?" Arilene tuted shaking her head. 

"Big words for someone who can barely duel without tripping over her own wand" Aeson scoffed as Arilene turned too him, "Bold of you to assume I'd waste a spell on you. I reserve my magic for opponents who pose an actual challenge- not pity children with mommy issues" 

"Careful Potter, one more word and you might find yourself next in the hospital wing" Aeson chuckled bitterly. 

"Oh, is that a threat? How lovely. It must be tough, though, coming back to school after Daddy dearest spent his life on his knees for Voldemort. Bet family dinners are a real laugh now," She said, taking a step, closing, staring in Lucas's eyes. 

The corridor froze. For a second, no one moved. Then with a sudden flash of movement, Lucas's wand was in his hand, arm rigid and eyes blazing. 

"Oh" Arilene smirked, "Did I strike a nerve, Rosier?"