The Wolf's Den [Remus Lupin]

14 - Sickle for Your Thoughts?

CW: Contains abuse

-Alula-

December rolled by and I made no progress with the boys. Peter seemed afraid of me; the same way that Mary did back in September. Sirius wasn't ignoring me but he wasn't going out of his way to talk to me the way we used to with each other. Finn and I had been spending lots of time together in the library with Alice and Marlene but whenever Lily was around, he quickly left the room. I think he's intimidated by her. She's practically at his level in most of our classes - brilliant she is! Marlene and I were busy studying almost every weekend for Muggle Studies and I felt like the term was going by so quickly already. It snowed only a few days ago but melted before we even got into Hogsmeade to visit since we've been so busy.

Bri had invited me to tea after class one day and Gemini and I got a chance to hang out with her together which was honestly quite nice. She even let us smoke ciggies in her office, she's really cool.

The girls were all getting excited to see their families and go home for Christmas Holiday, but I was dreading it. I got to see my brothers and that wasn't bad, but it didn't make it any easier to see my parents. We were all packing up our belongings that were coming home with us for the next 2 weeks before our last day of classes in the morning. "Alula, do yer right need ter bring all o' these clothes 'ome, eh?" Marlene mocked.

"If I don't, my mother will say I'm being lazy," I retorted and sighed. "I just wish we didn't have to go home yet."

"Maybe it won't be that bad, I mean with you dating that Slytherin bloke and all," Lily mentioned.

I let out a quick breath and put Binx on my bed and kicked off my slippers. He nuzzled his head against the bed and flopped onto his side asking for scratches; I abided. "I hope you're right, Lil, I really do."

She offered me a smile as I closed my drawers. I put my trunk at the end of my four-poster. I said goodnight to the girls and closed the curtains around the bed before crawling under the covers. It was cold even with two blankets. I was glad to have a cat that enjoyed cuddles. Sleep couldn't come any quicker.

~

"Don't you run from me! You miserable brat! You come down those steps this instant!"

"Lu Lu don't!" Gemini held my arm as I went to stand up. She was hiding with me in the basement among all the things we had in storage.

"Alula Portia. You bring yourself up those steps in the next 2 minutes or I will come to get you myself. Your mother is speaking to you." Father's voice vibrated against the steps.

"Fine, have it your way," Mother yelled.

Stomp. Stomp. Stomp. "If you want to hide from me, I guess I'll just have to seek you out."

I stood up. "I'll come out!" I squeaked. I came up into the kitchen and stood in the doorway.

"Now if we could only get you to do that the first time we asked, that would be a miracle." She started walking toward me and snarled her teeth at me. "You pillock!"

"Mother I'm sorry I didn't mean to–" She grabbed me by my hair and threw me against the wall– "make you look foolish!"

"Yet you always do!" She screeched and let go of me. I scurried away behind the kitchen door.

"Mother, truly, I didn't mean to...it was on accident that we–"

"By accident!" She slammed her hand on the kitchen table. I shuddered. "Merlin's beard! You'd think I'd never had you educated. I hired one of Europe's best tutors for you and your sister and how am I repaid? A nine-year-old who doesn't appreciate my gifts for her and blatantly ignores basic grammar."