COMFORT ZONE | Sirius Black [REWRITING]

59. The Return Home

Saturday, 14th June 1975

The Hogwarts Express departed from Hogsmeade some time ago, and the trolley witch had already passed their compartment. Sirius and James were off for one final pranking expedition, and though they invited her, Madiha had little stomach to risk more trouble just before meeting her parents.

She hadn't the slightest clue what they would say, or how they would discipline her, but the very idea of their disappointment was driving her mad along with the prospect of hearing in vivid detail about the repercussions of her actions, which were far more terrifying.

Chewing the end of her pen, Lily was immersed in jotting down yet more compositions to the tune of a badly contained argument and Peter's intermittent snoring.

Perhaps to ease her nerves, Madiha had been hoping to get a bit of singing in with Remus and Lily before breaking up for the summer, but from the atmosphere in the compartment, the chances of that looked dim.

Fresh out of the full moon, Remus was still refusing to give Marlene's five galleons.

Madiha listened to them with closed eyes, not wanting to expose Marlene's trick to win the bet, but also struggling with herself at the prospect of Remus handing over money that he really shouldn't be parting with.

Marlene had ignored all her signals to shut up in the past five minutes.

"Let me make this clear, Lupin, you betted they'd get together in fifth year."

"McKinnon—"

"Did you or did you not?"

"Yes—"

"And I betted they'd get together in fourth year."

"Yes, but—"

"And would you look at that?" said Marlene. "It's the end of fourth year and Alice and Frank are together which means I've won, and you owe me five galleons as we agreed."

"You cheated," countered Remus aggressively. "I know you did."

"Mads, you saw us make the bet, wouldn't you say I've won?"

Madiha kept her eyes shut, "I think you should let this go now, Mar—"

"See?" Marlene smirked quickly. "She just doesn't wanna hurt your feelings, you sore loser."

"The bet was for if they got together on their own, and they did not —"

Everyone clamped their mouths shut as the compartment door slid open to reveal Alice. She cast grave brown eyes at them before settling down between Remus and Lily, who had budged up to make space for her.

"Everything alright, Al?" Lily closed her notebook.

"For now."

"How come?"

Alice was tapping her foot. "I'm introducing Frank to my parents today."

The girls all knew Mr and Mrs Fortescue could be strict when it came to romance, it was why Alice held back from Frank for such a long time. Badgering him to ask her out only become an option a fortnight ago when Alice mentioned in their dormitory that she now felt ready to face her parents if they started to date.

Marlene swore three times a day that it was her signal for them to tell Frank to get a move on.

"You'll be alright," Madiha smiled reassuringly. "I think they'll be happy for you."

"It could go either way."

"Look," said Lily, "if he can get past us, he can get past your parents too."