/𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒\ [𝒔. 𝒃𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌]

𝟕.𝟞.𝟣

"I can only note that the past is beautiful because one never realises an emotion at the time. it expands later, and thus we don't have complete emotions about the present, only about the past." ~ Virginia Woolf

~december 1976~

Winter holiday at the Potters always excited Artemis. Mr. Potter picked her, James, and Sirius up from King's Cross and gave each of them a fatherly hug before herding them into the car and packing their luggage into the back.

When they stepped into the Potter's house, Mrs. Potter was all over them in an instant. The entire place smelled of fresh baked gingerbread and pine, and Artemis instantly felt like she was home.

Mrs. Potter flung her arms around Artemis first, holding onto her like a long-lost daughter. "Oh, Art! We missed you so much last summer, love, are you alright? James told me everything, and oh- it's horrible, really horrible, all of it. You should've come to us immediately, darling, you know that. Fleamont would've been there in an instant. But- oh, you ned to eat, look how thin you've gotten, come on-"

"Ah-" James cleared his throat from the doorway. "Mum, you've got two other kids here."

Mrs. Potter smiled and wrapped her arms graciously around her son. "Yes, and I love you all equally."

James scoffed and Artemis and Sirius caught each other's eye and shared a smile. In minutes, they were bustled into the kitchen and seated at the small round table together, platters of cookies and holiday sweets covering the wood between them. "Mum, you really went all out," James said, munching on a sugar cookie.

"Well, it's your- and I'm not going to cry, I promise- it's your last holiday here." Mrs. Potter sounded threateningly close to tears.

James raised his eyebrows. "What're you going to do, disown me once I leave school?"

"Yeah, Mrs. Potter," said Sirius. "Where else d'you expect me to go for Christmas? Nobody I know decorates half as well as you."

Mrs. Potter stopped working in the kitchen and crossed the room to give Sirius a hug. He patted her awkwardly on the shoulder. Mr. Potter swiped a cookie from one of the trays. "Euphemia, I keep telling you, these kids are going to be in our hair for the rest of our lives."

"Ah, you love it, Mr. Potter," said Artemis. He winked and left to collect firewood.

Mrs. Potter finally let Sirius go, then surveyed him and Artemis, beaming. "Oh, and you two are dating, James and Sirius told me all about it!"

"Did they really?" said Artemis, raising her eyebrows at the boys.

"The whole origin story," James said proudly.

Sirius winked at Artemis. "Well, most of it anyway."

Mrs. Potter was one step away from squealing for joy. "I knew you two would be together! I knew it all along!"