A Sliver of Change | S. Black

Part 4: Chapter 6

Part 4:

Chapter 6 –

December 25th, 1997

Lia curled the mug in her hand closer to her chest, thankful for the warm liquid during a chilly day like today. Her hand twitched slightly in pain at her actions, but other than that, Sirius had done a great job at healing what the snake had done to her.

Her eye was no longer swollen, only slightly darkened in colour and her head was completely closed up from the hit she had taken against the wall. It wasn't perfect, but she could work with the way she felt today. Harry was much better as well, no sign of injuries on him at all and Lia was once against grateful that the four of them had gotten out of there alive.

It was most likely not the last time they would have to deal with Voldemort and his followers, but a win was a win and even if they didn't find the sword, they were still together.

But it didn't mean that frustration wasn't running through the camp. Sirius was frustrated with her for putting herself in harm's way. Harry was frustrated with Hermione for accidentally breaking his wand and with himself for believing that they might be closer to finding the sword. Hermione was frustrated with herself for not being able to figure out what they should do next.

And Lia, well she was frustrated that even if they wanted to, they didn't have the time to take today to truly celebrate Christmas, which she blatantly realized was such a miniscule frustration. Too much had gone wrong over the past few hours, and they needed to focus their resources and time on figuring out something else to do, even if it was closing in on midnight and all she wanted was for them to celebrate the last hour of Christmas together, as a family.

She turned her gaze to see Hermione's nose in another book, Harry was playing with the radio the Ron once used and Sirius was glaring at the top bunk as he laid on the bottom, his hands fiddling with the snitch that Harry let him borrow.

She blew out a breath before she brought the mug to her lips, taking a sip of the tea she loved and wishing that it was as easy to find food as it was to make a simple cuppa. She would love to surprise them with a nice meal, but the most her and Hermione could manage today was a bowl of beans for dinner, nothing more and nothing less.

Her heartbeat lightly in her chest as a song that she recognized all too well started to play over the radio, Harry's fingers stopping in their tracks as she started to hum the tune aloud.

"They're knocking now upon your door."

Her finger tapped lightly against the mug in her hand.

"They measure the room; they know the score."

Harry's eyes took on the first glint of happiness she had seen in him all day, and she noticed Hermione place the book she was reading down on the table, Sirius turning his darkened glaze towards her.

But she allowed herself to live in the moment, the music like honey to her ears.

"Lift up your voice, lift up your voice."

The scarping of a chair filled the room and Lia peeked her eyes open to see Harry approach a timid Hermione, his hand reaching out for her own. Hermione hesitated, her eyes glancing from Harry back to her book before she blew out a tired breath and took Harry's hand.

Lia watched with a tug of her lips as he led her into the middle of the tent, his hand instantly finding her waist and tugging her closer to him as they both swayed to the beat.

"We have the answer to all your fears."

Sirius suddenly sat up from his spot on the bed, his legs swinging over, and she watched as he approached her with a wolfish grin, the anger from before vanishing from his features as he grabbed the mug from her hand and place it down beside her.