Being a Greengrass after all should sound pretty serene.
But being a part of "the Emeralds" should not, especially when hearts become entangled with the infamous Regulus Black.
Goodness, lawfulness, or evilness. Which path will they tread in the ti...
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July 31st, 1977
Ding dong!
At precisely half past ten on the morning of the Emeralds' long-awaited sleepover, the doorbell rang through Greengrass Manor. Avery practically launched herself down the grand staircase. Throwing open the heavy oak door, she was greeted by a familiar sight: Pandora Lestrange standing on the front steps with her messy blonde braids, an oversized bag slung over one shoulder, and a bright grin that stretched from ear to ear.
"Hey, Ave!" she greeted cheerfully. "Am I the first one here?"
Avery smiled at her ever contagious enthusiasm, ushering her friend inside.
"Yup, you're the first," she confirmed, "The others should be here soon. Come on!"
Over the next twenty minutes, Avery led Pandora through the manor's sprawling hallways and countless rooms, giving her a condensed version of the house tour. Pandora spent most of it staring at everything in awe. Then, the doorbell rang again. This time it was Dorcas. And somehow, despite staying for only one night, she had arrived dragging an enormous suitcase behind her.
Avery stared. "Dorcas."
"What?"
"Are you moving in?"
Dorcas looked genuinely offended. "It's called being prepared, Avery."
"For what? A month-long expedition?"
Dorcas ignored her and immediately turned her attention to the manor itself. "Oh my god."
She slowly spun in a circle. "This place is gorgeous."
From that moment onward, she didn't stop commenting on the house. By lunchtime, Avery was fairly certain Dorcas had complimented the architecture at least twenty times. The rest of the group arrived over the next hour. Evan was the first of the boys, strolling in with the confidence of someone who already considered himself a regular guest despite having never been there before.
Regulus arrived shortly after, hands tucked into his pockets as he quietly took in his surroundings. And finally came Barty, who announced his arrival by loudly demanding to know where the food was before he'd even properly stepped inside.
Once everyone had arrived, Avery gathered them together. "Right, follow me."
The group followed her as she navigated the manor's maze-like corridors. As they walked, she pointed out various guest rooms and landmarks. The sleeping arrangements had taken an embarrassingly long time to figure out. On one hand, Greengrass Manor had more than enough guest rooms for everyone. On the other hand, what was the point of having a sleepover if everybody disappeared into separate rooms? So, she'd settled on just two rooms: one for herself, Pandora, and Dorcas, and one for the boys.
Whether that was a brilliant idea or a terrible one remained to be seen. Especially considering Evan and Barty. A small part of her felt guilty for condemning Regulus to spend an entire night with the couple. Then again, there was always a spare room if he decided self-preservation was more important than friendship.
