A Sliver of Change | S. Black

Part 2: Chapter 13

Part 2:

Chapter 13 –

September 1st, 1975

"Love you mum," Lia said as her mother reached down to wrap her arms around Lia's waist. Pulling away with a kiss on her forehead, Octavia reminded the girl, "Remember what we talked about dear."

Lia nodded her head, recalling their conversation after Preston had left from his only visit over the summer. Although her mother had originally told her to keep her options open and try it out with Preston, once she had met him, Octavia immediately retracted her earlier statement, telling her daughter that she thought the boy was an ego centred arse. Lia had taken her mother's opinion into consideration, but eventually decided that she would continue to see where the relationship went. Her mother wasn't happy but conceded that it was her daughter's life.

Remembering her mother's words, Lia gave her father a quick kiss on the cheek before hugging Mellie and walking off to the train. Sirius and James had already gone to find them a cart, wanting to leave the train station as fast as possible after Walburga and Orion had showed up with Regulus. The family members had spent minutes glaring at eachother, and with it being Sirius' first time seeing them in two months, he happily gave them the finger before looking away.

As she entered the train with her trunk in her hand, Lia felt someone come up behind her, grabbing the bag from her hand.

"Hi darling," Preston whispered in her ear as he pressed a kiss to her neck.

Lia smiled at her boyfriend, "Hey! I've missed you."

Preston nodded, directing them towards a cart towards the front of the train. Before he could move further, Lia wrapped a hand around his arm.

"I promised James and the rest of them that I would sit with them," Lia explained, "you're more than welcome to join us."

Prestons' eyes narrowed into slits.

"They hate me. And don't bother trying to cover for them," Preston said as he held his hand up to cut her off, "can't you just ditch them and sit with me? I haven't seen you in weeks."

Lia sighed, feeling as if she had already discussed this conversation with him many times before.

"No Preston, it's a tradition for us," she argued back, "If you don't want to sit with us then that's your issue."

Grabbing the trunk from his hand, Lia kissed him lightly on the lips before walking away, not wanting to hear his argument back. Walking towards the back of the train, she found the room that her friends were all sitting in, the cart cramped with the lot of them.

"If it isn't my favourite person in the world," Remus smirked as he pulled Lia in for a hug.

She heard James and Sirius protest at his words, pouts covering their faces.

"And if it isn't Mr. Remus Lupin, 5th year prefect," Lia shrieked, kissing her friend on the cheek, "I'm so bloody proud of you!"

Remus blushed at her words, hiding his face in her neck. Lia went to tease him some more but was cut off by the voice of her red headed best friend.

"Speaking of prefects, we have to go talk to the first years Remus," Lily mentioned, quickly getting up from her seat beside James and swatting away his hands as they tried to wrap around her in a hug.

Lia moved over to her friend, pulling her in for a bone crushing hug, "I'm proud of you too Lils!"

The arms around her squeezed before pulling back.

"Thanks Lia, I'm honestly surprised that you didn't get it," Lily mentioned.

Lia waved her off, not bothering to mention that she did actually get it but after talking with Dumbledore, they both decided that Lily deserved it more than Lia did.