Troubled Love║Sirius Black

Chapter 16

The next few days were boring for Hallie. She had been stuck in the house with the stepmonster for so long, that Hallie could no longer tolerate it. The girl seemed to have turned into Maries lawful house slave, doing everything the woman dutifully desired.

And with her Dad still working every single day, Marie treated Hallie however she wanted whilst he was out of the picture.

"Marie," she cried, grabbing her purse off the kitchen table. Hallie waited a second before shouting again. "Marie!"

Hallie could have just left the house, not that Marie would have minded all that much. But Hallie knew the woman all too well. She knew that if she just left, the woman would make up an unbelievable story to her Dad about how 'she was worried sick' and how Hallie 'wasn't responsible enough to go out by herself.'

"What?" Marie shouted, walking down the manor stairs, a laundry basket tucked under her arm.

"Je vais faire du shopping à Noël." Hallie grabbed her coat and threw her purse into the bag.

"Get the shopping while you're out. Saves your Father going later," she spoke monotonously, dropping the list from the bannister.

Hallie moved to catch the shopping list with a sigh. "Do I have to?"

The woman glared maliciously, her lips poised and spiteful. "Not everything is about you. All you do is act like a brat. The only reason I put up with you is because of your Father, you hear me?" Maries nostrils flared in pure anger and her cheeks flamed a burning red.

Hallie held one hand to her ear - my god the woman was loud. "I definitely heard you alright," Hallie quipped humorously. "Think you burst my eardrum."

Hallie watched her stained-red lips twitch in indignation, causing Hallie to quickly turn on her heel and slam the door as hard as she possibly could. She really didn't have time to be caught up in another lecture.

Instant cold air hit her. France was still cold in the winter, however it was nothing compared to Scotland. Deauville rarely saw any impending signs of snow, more due to the fact that it was located along the coast.

Damn the stupid thing called Geography.

It didn't take Hallie long to reach the centre of the town, full of the most prestigious Victorian mansions and old-worldly ornamentations. The little town was very picturesque in the eyes of tourists. Yet the inhabitants of the town off of the French coast, knew it had much more plentiful means to offer.

The Christmas lights that decorated the town, made everything look so quaint and mesmerising. From the warm glow of the lights that dazzled the street with their beauty, all the way to the sweet smell of cinnamon and spices that drifted a heavenly aroma from the French bakeries and down the cobbled pathways.

It felt like everything was back to the way it used to be. Hallie could savour the moment, being so far away from the inevitability of the brewing war.

If Hallie ever needed somewhere to get away and seek refuge from the war, she knew exactly where she'd go. Home, after all, was only one floo away.

Hallie entered the first shop at the uttermost top of the highstreet; the warm air hitting her gently as she walked by. She traipsed around the shop aimlessly, running her hand delicately across the fabrics, until she stopped, coming across a rather simplistic blue sweater.

Hallie tucked the sweater under her arm contentedly, extremely pleased she had found the perfect present for Remus.

The shop was extremely successful in finding presents for her friends. In fact, she was even successful enough to have found Marlene a present, who was by far the hardest person Hallie had ever had the displeasure of buying for.