Black Hole

"'Cause I'm as Free as a Bird Now..."

She stared into the fire as those around her chatted away with sweet, soft chuckles and wide, summer smiles.

It was pretty, the fire. So mundane. Simple. It lit up the small space they had secluded themselves to on the Potter's extensive land, near many trees with rope swings built by James and his father during his youth and a small rocky lake with a short dock. It was orange and yellow and light red, the fire, unlike those that usually could be found in the wizarding world, which often had hues of unnaturally bright light blues and vibrant neon greens.

Sirius had insisted the fire be made the Muggle way, with a contraption that Lyra-Jade had never, ever seen before from Remus' pocket.

"It's what Muggle's use to make a small fire. It's what I use to light my ciggys during summers, see," He had said, showing Lyra-Jade how the small little thing with a funky pattern on it worked. She had been so astounded with the object, that he couldn't help but slip it into her pocket with an easy giggle. "All yours, birthday girl."

Someone nudged her side, moving her attention from the blazing fire to the boy beside her.

"LJ," her brother smiled, "Lets play a game, yeah?"

"Oh, a game! Yes!" Marlene squealed from her spot in-between Peter and Lily and across from Lyra-Jade.

"Alright, what game?"

"Exploding snap!"

"Fuck, James, is that the only game you know?" She taunted, raising her eyebrows at the boy she considered her brother.

"Well..."

"How about Never Have I Ever?" Lily suggested, earning a delightful yelp from Marlene and confused look from the Purebloods.

Lily explained the rules, and it seemed easy enough to Lyra-Jade, although it also made her nervous. She wasn't one to answer invading question, least of all not in front of anyone other than Remus or her brothers. The bottle of whiskey and shot glasses Sirius had conjured would help.

"Alright, I'll start," Marlene said, "Never Have I Ever...cheated on a test."

Lyra-Jade, James, Peter, and Sirius all took a shot. Lyra-Jade grimaced as the stingy orange liquid slide down her throat.

"Alright," Sirius said, coughing, "Never Have I Never-"

"Ever." Lily corrected.

Her brother rolled his grey eyes, "Right, Never Have I Ever, um, eaten so many Cauldron Cakes that I threw up in the middle of transfiguration, and some of my sick landed on poor Minnie's robes."

"They aren't supposed to be aimed at anyone specific, Sirius!" Peter whined and took a shot as everyone laughed.

"My turn! Never Have I Ever...gotten disowned." James smirked.

Both Marlene and Lily's mouths fell open and eyes went wide, expecting a blow out from the Black siblings. How could James do that to them? Such an inappropriate question! And how could Peter and Remus be laughing?

But the siblings just giggled and shot their brother a grin as they clunk their shot glasses together.

The game went on for an hour or so, all the teenagers getting progressively more drunk, and a drunk Lily getting progressively nicer to a flabbergasted, drunk James. 

Lyra-Jade realized that she hadn't done much in her life, had she? Sure, she survived a dozen rounds of a dark curse, gotten disinherited, and fell asleep during lectures, only to be woken up by Professor Binns shouting in her ear. But had she ever gone skinny dipping? Had she ever made out in a movie theater (a movie...what?), or gone to America? Or had she ever gone vegan for a month and then quit after craving a turkey leg on her period (like Marlene).