intrigue ' sirius [editing]

xv. mistletoe

chapter
↳ fifteen
moodboard
↳ traded for a gif! that probably doesn't work so sorry about that!

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Mrs. Potter was a coddling machine. Millie felt like a bunch of questions about Sirius and James had been answered after seeing the woman they took care of. She was tall and lean, as if she did tennis or yoga. Her black hair fell down her neck in ringlets and was held back from her face with a silk scarf. As soon as they arrived, and Millie briefed them on the situation, adding that she would talk more when not everyone was crowded around them, Mrs. Potter went into action. She announced that dinner hadn't been served yet, and it wouldn't kill Remus and Sirius to add some more plates to the table.

James was called from the kitchen where all the boys apparently were and smiled, "Hey! You guys came early! It's going to be a whole party now because I convinced Lily and Marlene to come spend the weekend with us as well!"

"Yes!" Benji cheered. Then he frowned, "I forgot everyone's presents."

"Don't worry," Mrs. Potter's voice sounded like honey, "I'm sure everyone can wait to open presents until they return. Now, James, show Benji and Demetria where to put their bags where they can stay. I'm sure there's room for Benji with you boys, and all the girls can head to Sirius'. It used to be our guest room," she added to Millie as an afterthought.

As soon as they disappeared, Mrs. Potter took Millie into the living room and pulled her onto the sofa. "Now, dear, care to tell me what's happened?"

Millie let everything out. A lot she hadn't said to anyone, but there was something so comforting about Mrs. Potter that she found it spilling out of her anyway. By the time she was done, her eyes were moist and James was shouting that dinner was ready. Millie stood up, ready to leave the awkward situation just as Mrs. Potter grabbed her wrist. "You are all welcome at our home any time you'd like. Please don't ever worry about being a burden to us. We tend to thrive on the energy of James and his friends."

"Thank you," Millie found herself saying, but those words seemed so little compared to the gratitude in her heart.

The dining room couldn't really be described as anything other than... cute. It was obvious that it had once been a fancy dwelling place, with a long oval table surrounded by six tall chairs. Now, however, random kitchen chairs from somewhere else had been shoved anywhere they could be, and the tabletop looked like the poster child for the phrase "every man for himself". Bowls and plates of food lined the middle, surrounded by messily made up sections contesting of a plate, a cup, and some silverware on the side.

Everyone else was already seated by the time Mrs. Potter and Millie came in, so Millie slipped her way into the seat between Peter and Benji and listened to whatever Mr. Potter was going on about. "I thought us boys could all go to my favorite restaurant and get some steak together. How do you guys like your steak?"

Remus placed his spoon on his napkin and looked up, "Usually well done, but some days I like it rare."

At Millie's side, Peter snorted into his water. Sirius and James were slapping each other in silent laughter, making everyone look their way.

"Will there be anything any of you say that isn't an inside joke?" Mrs. Potter asked casually, a smile on her face to see them all having fun.

After she finished eating, Millie watched everyone around the table, her eyes eventually landing on Sirius. He furrowed his eyebrows at her, perhaps wanting to know why they appeared so suddenly. She shrugged and looked back down at her plate, unsure of how to answer.