Liquid Luck [Sirius Black]/editing

chapter 59

It's our first full day here in Athens and we're spending the entire day at the beach. Mum has become a bit too enthused with this Muggle product she found in the gift shops called sunscreen. I hate the thing, it smells nice but feels awful against my skin. It's too oily for my liking and I would much rather burn under the scolding sun than be smothered in this wretched product any longer.

"That's enough sunscreen, Mum!" I complain, attempting to push her hands away from my face. "I hardly burn. Besides, this is a Muggle product, we don't even know what's in it."

"Actually sweetheart, you burn the most out of everyone." Mum states, smearing even more of the thick lotion onto my nose. It's only when I pretend to gag that she lets me go.

"James and I are going to the beach now. Meet us there!" I announce, dragging James out the door by his hand.

A massive stretch of azure blue water extends across my entire field of vision. A cool breeze laced with the distinct smell of salt caresses my face and I allow my eyes to flutter shut as the atmosphere takes me over. I open my eyes when James tickles my side causing a laugh to escape my lips. "Let's go." He says, pulling on my arm as he runs off toward the water.

The waves crawl gently to the shore and splash over our bare feet creating a warm sensation across my toes. I pull off my oversized t-shirt and stand only in my dark blue bikini and matching bottoms and James does the same so he's standing only in his green swim trunks.

He turns to me though by the time I catch the mischief on his face it's too late as he shoves me hard. I topple over and flop in gracefully into the shallow end. Some of the salty water spills unwelcomely into my mouth and I immediately spit it out and wipe my stinging eyes. "JAMES!" I gasp. "Oh you are so getting it!"

*

"You can't keep it." Mum tells me again.

"It is a he named Sherald!" I reply stubbornly, cupping my hands around a small hermit crab that James and I found on shore. "And why can't I? He's so cute!"

"He won't survive in our climate and you will lose him before we even get there!"

"I can make a tank suitable for him to live happily in!" I argue. "And I won't lose him! We are bounded by our souls, Mum!"

She loses patience and rubs her temples, "Do whatever you want."

"See? I told you it would be that easy." I mutter to James from the corner of my mouth. "Now we just have to figure out how to care for one of these guys and then we're golden."

Two hours later....

"I lost Sherald." I drop back onto my bed dramatically.

"Of course you did." Everliah laughs.

"How did you manage that?" Benjamin asks in amusement.

"I told him to wait for me on the balcony and when I came back he had left! I thought we were mates, this is just disappointing." I pout and cross my arms over my chest.

"Come now, you've still got me." James supplies while poking my cheek with a grin.

"Well, you're no Sherald but I suppose you'll do."