𝕿𝖗𝖊𝖒𝖔𝖗 - ʳᵉᵍᵘˡᵘˢ ᵇˡᵃᶜᵏ

Chapter 18: All in the Mood for a Melody

[ December 18th, 1977 ]

     POTTER MANOR was as beautiful as the family who inhabited it. Its limestone exterior was covered in luscious plants, adding to the liveliness which was fitting for the childhood home of James Potter. Euphemia had clearly worked hard to make the house a marvel to look at, with muggle Christmas lights lining the roof and decorated evergreens dotting the front yard.

     The interior was even more impressive. The house was large, but not too large. It still felt lived in, a luxury that the penthouse Theona once called home didn't have. Colour encased every corner; reds, blues, yellows. The mystery of how James Potter was so bright was slowly solving itself, just from one glance around his house.

     The room that Theona was assigned was perhaps the most beautiful part of it all. Mahogany furniture, ivory bedding, with aspects of navy blue dotted around. There was a bookcase against the wall, a dresser and a vanity across from it. Sunlight filtered in through the wispy curtains, alighting the room in a soft yellow glow.

     "Make yourself at home, sweetheart," Euphemia had said when they entered, "I hope it's fitting. I thought the blue would bring some comfort, considering you're one of the smart ones."

     Theona cracked a smile at that. Blue for Ravenclaw. It was thoughtful, incredibly so.

     "Unpack your stuff, take your time," Euphemia instructed, "dinner's in a half hour, but you can join us whenever you're ready. I assume you're in great need of a break from those boys."

     "Thank you," Theona nodded, closing the door behind the older woman.

     She was in great need for a break; not from the boys, but from everything. The passed few days had been a whirlwind. The excitement of winning the quidditch match melded into the shame of letting Regulus down, which then became the heartbreak of losing Evan, and further the joy of seeing her brother. She was a mess, through and through.

     She took her time, as Euphemia had instructed, with unpacking her clothes into the dresser. She decided to throw on her favourite Thundbird sweater, the winter chill finally getting to her through her thin blouse.

     Risking a glance in the mirror, she took in her appearance. It was shocking that no one had noticed the remnants of her train-bathroom-breakdown. Her eyes were still puffy and her cheeks were still red. She quickly applied some concealer, hoping to mask her less-than-attractive state.

     It hadn't quite set in yet that Evan hated her. She was so used to being the one to hate him, that the concept seemed impossible. He was always trying to be her friend and she was always playfully resisting, now the tables had turned. Although his resistance wasn't so playful.

    There was a time where she would've killed to have Evan Rosier out of her life, now she would kill to have him back.

     It was embarrassing really. He would never know how distraught she was to have lost him, she would never tell a soul. It would inflate his ego too much.

     "Dinner's ready, are you?" Her brother's voice rang from the doorway.

     "Yeah," she sighed, standing and straightening out her skirt.

     "You okay?" He asked, gesturing to her face.

     She glowered, "just groovy."

     He cracked a grin, pulling her head into his chest and ruffling her hair. They walked downstairs together, Sebastian leading their way to the dining room.