A Sliver of Change | S. Black

Part 2: Chapter 39

Part 2:

Chapter 39 –

December 22nd, 1977

"Mellie!" Lia yelled as she walked down the stairs of Potter Manor, "Father was supposed to be home this morning, did he owl?"

A popping sound echoed around the room and Mellie appeared in front of her with a smile on her face.

"No Mistress," Mellie said, "Master has not sent an owl, but Mistress shouldn't worry herself."

Lia shook her head, worry filling her despite the elf's words. Her father had seemed fine when they first arrived at the Manor, greeting them with a smile that she hadn't seen since before her mother's passing. But he had rushed out of the house only two days later, stating that he had a dilemma at the Ministry to deal with and that it might take a day or two to figure out.

"Please go and check again, Mellie," Lia begged.

Mellie nodded her head before appartating out of the area, not doubt going to look for any kind of owl that might have dropped off a letter. She sighed as she walked towards the mantel in the corner of the room, picking up the photo of her mother.

Her bright blonde hair and blue eyes stared back at her, the smile on her face looking exactly like the one that Lia had. The two were similar in looks and if Lia had blonde hair, then she knew they would look almost like twins.

"I love you mum," she whispered to the photo before placing it back down.

She heard noises from outside and grabbed her wand as she walked towards the door, muttering a heating charm over herself as she opened it to the harsh winds outside.

The boys were on their brooms, racing around in only their jumpers despite how cold it was outside. Christmas was nearing and with that came the chilling winds of the season, and snow that covered every inch of the ground.

She laughed as Remus tossed a snowball towards James, causing him to wobble on his broom as it smashed against his face.

"You're a dead man, Moony!" James yelled as he chased after their friend, launching snowball after snowball at his back.

Laughter filled the air as the two boys caught up to eachother, and James dragged Remus down to the ground. She was too preoccupied in their wrestling to notice Sirius ride over to her, and gasped as a ball of snow hit her in the side of the face.

"SIRIUS ORION BLACK!" She yelled at him as her hand wiped the snow away, "I WILL GET YOU BACK FOR THAT!"

She didn't bother picking up the snowballs in the muggle way, instead using her wand to propel them at him with massive speed, the attack cutting off his laugh as he raced away from them.

"You can't catch me!" Sirius teased causing her anger to spill over.

Lia sent a small stinging hex his way and grinned as he fell the short distance from his broom to the plush covered ground. She heard Remus and James quite their fighting to laugh at Sirius as he sat up covered in snow.

His glare directed towards all of them, his hands shaking the snow out of his hair as he threatened, "you're all dead."

But before he could get up to seek his revenge, Mellie came running out of the back door, tears streaming down her face.

"Mistress!" She yelled quickly, stopping in front of Lia with a letter in her hand, "Mistress must read!"

Worry filled her at Mellie's actions, knowing that the elf never cried for anything except stuff that concerned her family. Grabbing the letter from Mellie's hand, she gave the elf a squeeze on her shoulder in thanks, noticing the worried glances over her boys.