A FAMILY AFFAIR

- 2 -

[ CHAPTER TWO ; "UNDER THE STARRY SKY." ]

Treech lay with his back on the grassy patch of land he had settled on, under a weeping willow tree, the stars shone brightly above. His hat sat beside him, allowing his brown curls to flow in the low wind. He missed Hogwarts, he couldn't wait to be back.

Treech was about to start to fourth year at Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry and instead of packing, like most of his peers were, he was outside, under a tree watching the stars above him.

He couldn't wait to be back in the hustle and bustle of Hogwarts, with its moving staircases, ghostly mates roaming the halls, the magical lessons. Hell, he even missed Peeves, as annoying as he was.

He had missed the Gryffindor common room, missed his friends, missed pranking the teachers, he missed everything about Hogwarts. Every nook and cranky was something he had long missed from his home away from home.

Beside him on the patchy grass was a fourth year Ravenclaw girl. Lamina. Though it was strictly forbidden for wizards and witches of different Hogwarts houses to mingle with one another, in fear of them being the next dark witch or wizard.

Treech wasn't really one for following the rules, much to Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore's displeasure.

Treech glanced over at Lamina, who was gazing up at the stars with a serene expression on her face, he had always known her. They were neighbours.

Growing up, Treech hadn't really interacted with her outside of wizarding events, like parties at the Plinth's or whenever he'd catch her watching him from afar whenever he left the house.

They had officially met during their third year at Hogwarts, Lamina first year there as she had previously gone to Beauxbatons academy of magic, like her mother, Treech had accidentally crashed into Lamina outside of the Ravenclaw common room when he was running from a very furious Phineas Black after Treech had jinxed his food to always run away from him.

Lamina had pulled him inside the Ravenclaw common room which, thankfully, was empty and because Phineas was too dull to guess the riddle, Lamina had snuck him out though a secret tunnel the house elf's often used to get to places inside Hogwarts without being caught.

She had befriended a few house elves as she hardly ever spoke and they seemed to like her quietness. Lamina was a half-blood, raised by her muggle father. Her mother had run away to join Grindelwald's reign, it had made the headlines in The Daily Prophet because Lamina's mother was a very talented Auror.

Although Treech was a pure blood, he was sure his parents would scold him if they ever knew he was outside watching the stars with a half-blood, who was raised in a mostly muggle household.

(Lamina's mother had enchanted the dishes to wash themselves, the laundry to iron, fold and put away themselves and for the house to keep itself clean, Lamina's mother had been a clean freak, but aside from that her father hardly ever used magic outside of his job as Minister of Magic.)

"We shouldn't keep doing this..." Lamina whispered, she mostly whispered, it was one of the things Treech liked about her. "I know." Treech answered. "I'm serious, Treech." Lamina replied, more firmly than before.

"I know, Lamina..." Treech said softly, turning his gaze back to the stars. "But I can't help it. Being with you... it's like escaping from all the madness, even if it's just for a little while." He added with a soft sigh.

"They'll probably send us to Azkaban if they realise we've been... interacting outside of school." Lamina warned. "Interacting? Is that what we're calling this now?" Treech smirked as Lamina blushed.