Moonlit Bonds: The Tale of Moony and Snowy

Chapter 7 - Home for Christmas

The rest of the year flew by in a whirlwind of classes, pranks, and late-night escapades with the Marauders. I was having so much fun that I almost forgot about the looming Christmas holidays. But then, one crisp December morning, I received a letter from our parents, demanding that Sirius and I return home for Christmas.

As the festive season approached, the thought of returning to Grimmauld Place filled me with dread. My anxiety was a constant undercurrent, gnawing at me even during the most joyful moments. Remus, ever perceptive, noticed my unease.

"It'll be okay, Eliza," he said gently, one evening as we sat in front of the fireplace in the common room. "Just remember, you have us. We'll be back here before you know it."

I tried to take comfort in his words, but the knot in my stomach remained. The train ride back to London was somber, the festive cheer of our fellow students doing little to lift my spirits. I clung to Sirius as we stepped off the platform at King's Cross, our parents' stern faces waiting for us amidst the holiday crowds.

Walburga's eyes were like cold steel, and Orion's face was a mask of disapproval. They greeted us with stiff nods, and the tension was palpable. We traveled back to Grimmauld Place in strained silence, the festive decorations of the city outside a cruel contrast to the foreboding sense of doom I felt inside.

The moment we stepped through the door of Grimmauld Place, the yelling began. "Gryffindor? How dare you disgrace the family name!" Walburga screamed, her face contorted with rage.

Orion stood behind her, his eyes dark with anger. "You were supposed to uphold our traditions, our honor. And you failed."

Sirius stepped in front of me, his face defiant. "We're not failures. We're just not what you wanted us to be."

"Enough!" Orion's voice was a thunderclap, and before we knew it, the situation escalated. The arguments turned into physical violence. Walburga slapped Sirius, her nails leaving angry red marks on his cheek. Orion's fury manifested in harsher ways, his belt a weapon that stung with each strike.

I felt myself breaking under the weight of their expectations and the relentless abuse. Tears streamed down my face as I tried to shield Sirius, but the blows kept coming. The festive decorations around us seemed like a cruel joke, mocking our pain.

After what felt like an eternity, they finally stopped, leaving us bruised and broken on the cold marble floor. Walburga's voice was icy. "You will learn to respect this family, or you will be nothing."

That night, as we lay in our shared room, I clung to Sirius, my body trembling with sobs. "I can't do this anymore, Sirius. I can't."

He held me tightly, his own voice breaking. "I know, Liz. I know. But we'll get through this. Together."

The rest of the holidays passed in a blur of fear and pain. Our parents' anger was a constant presence, and we moved through the days like ghosts, barely speaking and always watching our backs. The only solace was the thought of returning to Hogwarts, to the safety of the Gryffindor common room and the comfort of our friends.

When the day finally came to return to school, we left Grimmauld Place without looking back. The train ride back to Hogwarts was a silent one, both of us lost in our thoughts. As the castle came into view, a sense of relief washed over me.

We were home.