A Sliver of Change | S. Black

Part 2: Chapter 28

Part 2:

Chapter 28 –

February 3rd, 1977

Lia sipped on her cuppa at the breakfast table, flipping through the pages of the Daily Prophet. It seemed as if every other page highlighted a new Death Eater attack. New murders. New brutal incinerations.

Although Lia was starting to feel better, only having nightmares a few times a week, she still couldn't shake the terror she held towards everything that was happening. Voldemort was rising and it was clear that soon every one of them would have to make a decision.

"Any new news?" Lily asked as she spread jam on a piece of her toast.

Lia shrugged, putting the paper back on the table before reaching for a biscuit in front of her.

"The same as every day," Lia mumbled, taking a bite of the cookie, "muggle born families and blood traitors being killed."

Lia saw Lily send her a soft look, the sympathy in it sending a flare of anger through Lia. She prided herself on being the strong one of the group, the one people turned to. Not the one that they all looked at like she was a China glass, waiting to break.

Before Lily could comment on her attitude as of late, Remus, Peter, and James sat down beside each of the girls, instantly piling their plates with food.

"Where's Sirius?" Lia asked confusedly.

When she had left their room that morning after sleeping once again with James, he had told her that they would all meet them at breakfast as soon as they got dressed.

James shrugged, his glasses falling crooked on his face, but Remus turned to her with an answer, "I gave him the password to the prefect's bathroom. He's been begging me for months."

Lia saw Lily shoot him a look, "that's supposed to be only used by prefect's Remus," she scolded.

Remus tore a piece of the toast before plopping it into his mouth, chewing quickly before responding, "do you want to listen to him whine every day about it? Because I don't."

Lily shook her head, silently agreeing but Lia knew that she would never actually say the words. She saw her brother glance at her out of the corner of her eye but ignored him all together.

She didn't have the energy to deal with his questions today.

"So, what are the plans today guys?" Peter cut in, obviously noting the slight tension in the room between them all.

Lia shrugged her shoulders, not caring what they did today. She had already planned on curling up into a ball by the fireplace and wallowing in her own self-pity despite every fiber in her being telling her to be strong.

"Do you guys want to study for the transfiguration test in the library?" Lily suggested.

Lia saw James shake his head, a solemn look on his face.

"Can't we do something fun?" He whined out, "like maybe pull a prank on Hurdle today!"

Lia lightly chuckled at that, almost wanting to join him in one of his pranks. If there was anything that could make her feel slightly better, it would be seeing the look on professor Hurdle's face after James stashes a dungbomb in his desk.

"Not happening James Potter," Lily argued, "we are going to study for the test and that's final."

James groaned before his face turned into a smirk, his lips puckering towards the red head,

"Would a kiss change your mind," he asked pleadingly.

Lily's face distorted in disgust, her hand shoving directly into James' face. James yelped at the sudden pain, his own hand coming to rub his nose and fix his glasses.