The Marauder's heiress returns

The growing pack

Hi everyone! I hope you all enjoyed your Christmas and are looking forward to a new year! Sorry it's been a while since I've uploaded but since it is the holidays, I've been spending a lot of time with family.
- I hope you're enjoying the story so far and hopefully, I'll be uploading a lot more frequently in the new year.

Adelaide woke in the middle of the night, her heart pounding in her chest and her body covered in sweat, tears pouring from her eyes as the images of the battle of Hogwarts flashed through her mind. It had been the first time since she returned that she had nightmares, a sob escaping her lips as she remembered the lifeless eyes of her uncle Moony and Fred looking up at her.

Adelaide raised herself and rested against the headboard, running her fingers through her hair as she tried her hardest to control her frantic heartbeat. She was glad she had placed a silencing charm on her room, which had become a habit since her sixth year at Hogwarts in her last life. She was used to nightmares back then, and she scolded herself for getting too comfortable without them as she should have expected that they'd return sooner rather than later. She tilted her head to look at the space beside her and her eyebrows furrowed, suddenly feeling a deep loneliness that she had only ever experienced as a child at the Dursleys. She pondered whether or not she should go to one of her friends and hoped that they'd be comfortable enough in their friendship for her to sneak into their room.

"Go, little love. They adore you nearly as much as I" Mortem's voice made her jump in fright before a warm soothing feeling spread through her body, making her tense muscles relax against the mattress. She knew it was his magic, the darkness of it making her feel as though it was a loving embrace.

"Thank you, Morty" She whispered with a small smile before jumping up from her bed and wrapping a silk green dressing gown around her. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and apparated outside of the Slytherin common room, the cold dungeons sending a chill through her spine.

She approached the portrait to the Slytherin common room and hissed 'Open', which gave her access immediately. The common room was absent of any life and the only sound that filled the air was the crackling of the lit fireplace. With a small sigh, Adelaide crept up the stairs and into the hallway of the wizard's dormitories, her eyes flickering between each door to find the room of her favourite snakes. She quickly came across a door with Blaise's, Theo's, Draco's and Enzo's name and softly twisted the handle, pushing the door open and sliding inside without making much noise.

"Amore? Is that you?" A small gasp left her lips when she noticed a familiar figure standing in the doorway of their bathroom.

"Theo, you scared me" She whispered with her hand over her pounding heart.

He slowly approached her, a look of concern in his eyes. "What happened, Principessa?"

Adelaide smiled at the pet name and sighed "I-I had a nightmare and I was wondering if I'm able to sleep with one of you"

"Come on, Darling. You can lay with me" He cooed and softly grabbed her hand, leading her towards his bed. She quickly went under the covers, a satisfied hum leaving her lips at the warmth that his bed provided.

"Comfortable?" Theo chuckled as he slid into the bed beside her and he couldn't help but find her adorable as she snuggled under the duvets.

"Thank you, Theo" She whispered and shuffled towards him, laying her head on his bare chest.

"It's okay, amore" He responded and placed a kiss on the top of her head, his arm wrapping around her waist and holding her close to him.

The primal urge to protect her was always there, but it increased tenfold whenever Adelaide was hurt or upset and he knew the other boys felt the same. Their feelings for her are simply platonic and somehow, he knew it would always be that way but that doesn't mean they don't find her absolutely stunning or they feel an unusual attatchment to her. He had never felt so comfortable with another human before and he genuinely felt as though Adelaide Potter-Black would have a huge role in his life.