Serena found herself caught in a shower of snowflakes, the cold crystals melting on contact with her skin. The long strands of her black hair were speckled with white, and her red lips were curved into a small smile. The sight of Lily Evans and Evelyn Sallow laughing, their faces flushed with exertion and delight, warmed her heart.
It had been too long since she had spent time with them. She had been drowning in her research, lost in the pages of ancient texts and the swirling depths of potions. She had been playing a dangerous game, pretending to be clueless on certain issues and topics, and hiding her past and future. It was a secret that had consumed her, and in her preoccupation, she had neglected her friends.
But now, as she watched Lily throw a handful of snow at Evelyn, her guilt lessened slightly. The two girls got along well; Lily's vibrant energy matched Evelyn's down-to-earth nature, creating a balance that Serena admired. She enjoyed their company, and she was grateful they hadn't pushed her away despite her recent distance.
"Rena!" Lily's voice cut through her thoughts. She looked up to see a snowball flying towards her. Serena was too slow to dodge, and it hit her square in the chest, sending a shower of snow down her front.
"Hey!" Serena protested, but she was laughing, her stern exterior momentarily crumbling. She scooped up a handful of snow and threw it back at Lily, who dodged with a triumphant shout.
Eventually, they wound down, their laughter echoing across the snow-covered grounds of Hogwarts. The sun was dipping below the horizon, casting long shadows across the landscape. Serena felt a pang of sadness. She wished this moment could last forever, that she could always be this carefree and unburdened.
"Let's go inside," Evelyn suggested, brushing the snow off her robes. "I'm starving."
The three of them made their way towards the Great Hall, arm in arm. The warmth of the castle was a stark contrast to the chill outside, and the smell of food wafted towards them, making Serena's stomach rumble in anticipation.
~~~
The Great Hall this evening was no different from any other, with its enchanted ceiling mirroring the star-studded sky outside. Sirius sat with the rest of the Marauders at the Gryffindor table, his gaze frequently straying towards the Ravenclaw table where Lucius Malfoy, the elegant omega, was chatting away with Barty Crouch Jr.
A month had passed since Lucius's omega status and impending engagement to Sirius had become public knowledge, and the Hogwarts student body was still buzzing with excitement. The females, in particular, found the entire scenario wildly romantic and couldn't help but squeal and giggle whenever Sirius and Lucius were mentioned in the same sentence.
Serena remembered the night of the infamous Marauders' prank like it was yesterday.
~~~
[A week ago, while the student body was enjoying their dinner, the Marauders had set off a prank that turned all the boys in the Great Hall, with the exception of themselves, Lucius, and the girls, into troll-faced caricatures. Amidst the chaos and Professor McGonagall's loud reprimands, detention statements, Sirius Black, in all his childlike glory, had approached Lucius at the Slytherin table.
Sirius, tall and handsome with his dark hair and eyes, walking confidently towards Lucius. His friends followed behind, cheering him on. The Omega watched Sirius approach with a calm, detached expression amidst the pandemonium.
As the Marauders took their positions, Sirius Black stepped forward. With a mischievous glance at James, he cleared his throat. A sudden hush fell across the Great Hall as Remus cast a sonorus charm, amplifying Sirius's voice so that it resonated throughout the room.
YOU ARE READING
IN ANOTHER LIFE (James Potter x Severus Snape)
Fanfiction(OMEGAVERSE) Severus finds himself rising from his near deathbed into the past, as a female 10 year old version of himself in another parallel world, where secondary genders exist. (Also uploaded in Fanfiction & Ao3)
