Solace | Sirius Black

~ Chapter One ~

"Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to Jyneari! Happy Birthday to you!"

Singing was followed by cheering that ran loudly through the Serpaie Manor on the fine evening of Tuesday on the seventeenth of August 1972. It was the eleventh birthday of the only child of Saravis and Syndelle Serpaie, Jyneari, and half the Pureblood families in Britain were invited to the party in the enormous manor. It had three large ballrooms; one huge one for great events; one slightly smaller one for parties like these and the last one was the smallest and for family, or close friends, to gather. In addition to the ballrooms in the west wing of the manor, the east wing held all of the family's personal rooms including a large dining room for them to eat and a living room. the middle of the house held the library and kitchens as well as the tapestry room and Jyneari's homeschooling room.

Jyneari was looking beautiful in a big, white ball gown with diamanté embroidery on the bodice and sequins smothering layers and layers of lace in the skirt. Her long, blonde hair was up in an elegant twisted braid and pinned to the back of her head and she had a pair of glass slippers on her feet. She also had a locket necklace and charm bracelet that she had received as gifts. However, while she looked pretty, she was very uncomfortable in her layers of lace and she showed it on her face with a grimace.

The eleven year old looked around the room for her best friends; Severus Snape and Cassiopeia Black. After scanning the large room, she saw them over at the long table of snacks at the side of the room. They were helping themselves to punch.

Walking over to them, Jyneari places their cups down and hugged them both. While they took their cups back, she made a drink of her own, mixing pumpkin juice with pink lemonade, a muggle beverage that someone had smuggled in.

"Hey guys! How are you both?" She asked politely. "Enjoying yourselves?"

"Yes thank you! You look lovely, bet you're happy to finally be eleven!" Severus said teasingly. He looked rather dashing in his black dress robes and polished shoes.

"You know it! Now I just need my Hogwarts letter!" Jyneari grinned back. It didn't go unnoticed that when she mentioned Hogwarts, Cassie looked down.

"It'll come soon I'm sure!" She said, putting on a smile. She too, was looking very nice, in her royal blue skater dress and black pumps with sapphires at the toe. Cassie was four years older than Jyneari, but they were already close due to their parents and this only lead to them becoming great friends.

"I hope it does!" Jyneari said thoughtfully.

As her mother called her to the other side of the room, Jyneari caught sight of a smart looking boy her age, one of Cassie's cousins she remembered, with messy black hair and a set of all black dress robes. He was leaning against the wall alone, tapping his foot to the tune playing in the hall. Jyneari realised she had been staring too long only a second too late as the boy looked over and smirked in her direction as she blushed and averted her gaze.

Upon finishing the journey to her mother, Jyneari saw that she was speaking with one of her goddaughters, Andromeda Black. She was Jyneari's favourite Black sister, apart from Cassie, as Bellatrix was too scary and Narcissa was too giggly and girly. Bella was the eldest, then it was Andy, then Cissy and Cassie were the youngest as twins.

"Jyneari!" The sixteen year old hugged Jyneari and kissed her cheek. "Happy birthday! Care for a dance?"

"Thank you, Andy! Of course!" Jyneari agreed.

Heading to the floor, the two started dancing as they chatted and laughed.

"So I was like 'Well no, because your three inches smaller than me and two years younger' and he just walked away sheepishly! He didn't say anything! He just turned and walked!" The pair burst out laughing as Jyneari listened to Andromeda's stories of being at Hogwarts.