Unofficial Portkey Archive

* * *

~ Thicker Than Water ~

By: Oy! Angelina

* * *

Sirius and Celestine arrived at their manor by means of the family Portkey. Celestine had Apperated to the train station to collect her brother but since he was still a minor and without such knowledge they had to rely on different tactic to get Sirius and his belongings home.

Appearing just outside the fountain marking the front of their home, Sirius found his mother waiting for him with an expectant grin.

"There he is!" Mrs. Black cooed as she hurried over to her son and threw her arms around him.

"MUM!" Sirius met her half way to throw his arms around his mother.

Madeline Black gave Sirius her pale blue eyes and exuberant nature in addition to her hug. Gray veins had long ago took root in her black hair with a few wrinkles around the eyes to mark the years (and probably the stress of raising her son) but Mrs. Black was still regal and young in many respects.

"How is school, Luv?" Mrs. Black inquired.

"They're starving and beating me, Mum." Sirius assured with a pout to goad attention from his mother. "And the kids are ALL mean to me."

Mrs. Black pinched her son for his boldface lying.

"Oh don't you try and pass that off on me when all I hear about from everyone else is which son admires and what daughter adores you for whatever reason!" Mrs. Black fawned over her youngest child and only son. "Look at you! Always so much bigger and handsome every time I lay eyes on you! You're making me feel like an old woman."

"Never Mum! And I'll pummel anyone who says otherwise!" Sirius replied with a scandalous expression.

This evidently reminded his mother of something.

"Since you brought it up, what's this business about you fighting in your classes?" Mrs. Black demanded suddenly.

"Now I did not START that fight!" Sirius explained. "I didn't even bloody finish it with that positively medieval hex Snape threw on me, the ruddy prat he is. Avery was bullying Arabella Figg from my House, slapping her on the bum and then shoving her when she got cross about it so I stepped in."

"Fist-first I imagine." Celestine wagered, apparently more amused by Sirius's tale than anything else.

"Damn straight!" Sirius confirmed before turning to his mother. "Sorry 'bout that, Mum."

"I didn't raise you to be a roughneck, Sirius." Mrs. Black chided.

"You didn't raise me to put up with girls getting hassled about me either." Sirius shrugged. "Otherwise you would have had better sense than to bring me into a house with three beautiful sisters and a captivating Mum."

"You bloody Momma's boy." Celestine covered her face chuckling as she watched Sirius melt their mother's heart like he always did.

"Now it IS my fault that you turned out to be such a flattering little smart mouth tragically enough." Mrs. Black shot her hand out and tugged at a lock of Sirius's black hair in a teasing fashion. Sirius winced more for show before throwing his mother the most charming smile she taught him.

"I love you, Mummy." Sirius grinned like an idiot.

"I love you too, but no more fighting in class." Mrs. Black insisted, before brightening up. "So, anything you want for your birthday?"

"A flying motorbike!" Sirius panted.

"You have been asking for that since you were eight!"

"I've wanted it since I was eight!" Sirius defended himself. "Come on, Mum! No one will think you're spoiling me! I've been begging for it HALF MY LIFE and I'm finally old enough to ride it without killing myself!"

"He's also been saying THAT since he was eight." Celestine noted.

"Unless you got a motorbike in your purse there, Celeste, I advise you not to meddle in this!" Sirius laughed, pointing at his sister.

"I could kill your Father for showing you that old thing at the Muggle Artifacts Expose." Mrs. Black groaned as she headed for the house. "Speaking of beating him within an inch of his life, let's go say hullo to him shall we."

Mrs. Black waved her wand at Sirius's luggage and led two of her children into the foyer of their house behind her. The Blacks had renovated their ancestral home generations ago. What had once been a castle was now a decedent Muggle-style manner that placed less emphasis on the size of the main house itself as it did the grounds surrounding. It had been a decision made when the Blacks found their preoccupations and profit in animal breeding.

Still, forty-three rooms was hardly anything to under appreciate.

Mr. Black was discovered passing through the hallway connecting several of them.

Sirius was told he looked quite a bit like Empyrean Black in the face but it was hard to discern underneath his father's salt and pepper shaded beard, which he kept closely trimmed. Sirius doubted he would ever be as tall as his father and was already more broad-shouldered than the Wizard. Also, Mr. Black's usually serious expression was a direct contradiction to Sirius's typically goofy one.

Of course, Sirius liked to assume people weren't just making up things.

"Hullo, Dad!" Sirius warmly greeted. "How are things?"

"Fine. Just Fine." Mr. Black nodded as he approached his son. "Glad to be home?"

"Adoring family and conveniently stocked food pantries are always a welcomed incentive." Sirius assured as he gave his father a brief hug and watch his Mother set down his luggage.

"Celestine and I are going to check on supper." Mrs. Black announced. "You're room has been made up so see that your trunk finds its way up there. I don't need to put any more work on the House Elves than they already have because you can't bother to pick up after yourself."

"Yes, Ma'am." Sirius promised.

"So is he just home for holiday or did they kick him out finally?" A voice drawled from the nearest parlor.

"That's enough, Acontiae." Mr. Black frowned to his youngest daughter as he and Sirius stepped into the archway of the room.

Of all the Blacks, Acontiae stuck out the most, superficially and personality-wise. Her hair was blonde and skin pale while the rest of her family was dark haired and tan. She was introverted and felt overlooked by the overachieving Aurora, the dependable Celestine, and flamboyant Sirius. She particularly resented her younger brother as how stole out her former spot as the adored baby of the family with his birth and attention was constantly lavished on him no matter how much trouble he got himself into. While, Acontiae barely had a sense of humor in general but managed a few nasty quips whenever it was at Sirius's expense.

The vast majority of Acontiae and Sirius's relationship was spent in rivalry which both appeared to be completely comfortable with and felt no need to correct. In a way, the rest of the Blacks assumed that the youngest siblings actually enjoyed their vicious banter as a counterbalance to the usual content state of their home life.

"Acontiae, you're here?" Sirius noted with shock. "I thought your birth father had custody this weekend. Shouldn't you be at the Malfoys?"

"I SAID that's enough." Mr. Black glared at Sirius. "You've been home for five minutes, you both aren't going to jump right back into your usual petty arguments. And Sirius, don't joke about infidelities in this house, in my presence or otherwise."

"Sorry dad." Sirius muttered.

"Go put your stuff in the room so we can all sit down to supper as a family." Mr. Black insisted.

Sirius's expression lit up.

"Aurora's here?" Sirius demanded.

"She was in the west parlor last I - "

Sirius was speeding out of the room before his father even had the chance to finish. Mr. Black rolled his eyes as Acontiae leaned over the back of the couch.

"He's getting a little too old for all that." Acontiae critiqued her younger brother as usual. "I mean, he's going to be seventeen and he acts like he's five again whenever Aurora steps into the room."

"I know." Mr. Black agreed. "Of course Aurora does little to discourage it. I suppose it comes with being eight years older than him. Sirius always seems like baby brother."

"He certainly acts like it." Acontiae frowned.

* * *

Seated down at their family dinning room table, Empyrean and Madeline Black took their places at the head of the table with Sirius and Aurora occupying one side and Celestine and Acontiae residing at the other. The two House Elves the Blacks employed, Finnie and Knolly, had outdone themselves in preparing a grand supper to welcome Sirius back with. After everyone had something to eat on their plates, the usual family dinner conversation started up.

"Aurora, what have you been up to recently?" Mrs. Black inquired as she worked a knife through her food. "You haven't been back to the house in a while, have you been doing anything interesting?"

"I've just been busy with the Ministry." Aurora replied.

"Any more talk of you as the Junior Head of your Department?" Mr. Black questioned.

"That's what this past month has been about. Giving me all the work of the Junior Head without the privilege of the title or benefits that come with it." Aurora nodded. "Apparently I passed with flying colors because they told me the position was mine and it will be officially announce Monday in the Daily Prophet."

A round of smiles and congratulations came from the table from Aurora's family as they continued on with their meal.

"How are things with Witch Weekly, Acontiae?" Aurora turned the conversation over to her youngest sister.

"Fine. I'm still doing mostly local stuff but I have my name in to do some photography work abroad. Lot of interest in what's going on in the States. Apparently they're trying to get so hybrid of Muggle science and Wizard magic off and running." Acontiae picked at her greens.

"I heard about that." Mrs. Black nodded along. "Apparently that's the American's solution for improving Wizard/Muggle relations, by easing the Muggles into magic like a lukewarm bath."

"Bloody Americans. . ." Mr. Black shook his head disapprovingly. "Always have to dash off in their own cock-eyed direction just to be different."

"I'm sure you'll start doing more of the work you want, Acontiae." Celestine smiled at her sister. "I've seen your portfolio, your editor would be mad to not want your eye behind the lens."

"Thanks." Acontiae smiled back. "How are this generation of Owls fairing?"

"Smart group, fast too! I swear any of them could make it around the world in half a day if they were so inclined, right Dad?" Celestine beamed as proudly as a mother would for her children.

Animal breeding was a prized hobby and cornerstone of the Black Family's financial interests. While Mrs. Black handled the paperwork from within the Ministry as Head of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures Mr. Black and Celestine managed and oversaw all the Family's specific ventures in the field.

"That they are, Celestine." Mr. Black smiled at her. "They're going to make some fine delivery birds by the end of spring."

"And what about you, Sirius?" Mrs. Black turned to her only son. "What have you been up to at Hogwarts?"

"This and that." Sirius smirked mischievously as he attempted to sip from his goblet without sputtering out its contents in a laugh.

"Be more specific." Mr. Black encouraged, eyeing his son.

Sirius sighed. A major injustice inflicted upon Sirius by the universe was the inability to lie flat out to his Father's face. Sirius suspected it was because he respected his dad and didn't want him to think his only son was a liar on top of everything else he was, but it was still hard on Sirius when trying to pull the wool over his father's eyes.

"I tied a classmate to a tree." Sirius admitted.

"SIRIUS!" A clatter of flatware came from Mr. Black's end of the table. Aurora and Celestine snickered into their napkins, as Acontiae rolled her eyes. Mrs. Black didn't appear to be all that shocked or impressed by this.

"I wonder why we haven't gotten an Owl about that yet." Mrs. Black said thoughtfully to her husband.

"Well I imagine because I got away with it." Sirius mused with a grin.

Another round of snickering and eye rolling made its way around the table, stopping on their father. Mr. Black didn't seem to share the same amusement with the situation as the rest of his family nor did he appear entirely certain as to what the appropriate parental reaction was to their child binding a peer to a tree.

"Why would you do such a thing, Sirius?" Mr. Black gaped at his only son.

Sirius's expression became suddenly very scandalous as he spoke directly to his father.

"If you met the Slytherin Walden Macnair, Dad, you would have passed me the rope and told me to double knot it!" Sirius insisted defensively. "He's an utter thug who likes to torment anything smaller than him and recently he's being more 'attentive' with girls in my House than anyone's comfortable with. We told the teachers and taught him a lesson to show we wouldn't stand for it."

"We?" Acontiae repeated. "You mean James Potter and the rest helped you with this? Little surprise there."

"No, the royal WE." Sirius quickly said, shooting his sister a dirty look. "Been feeling a bit regal these days and thought I'd play with my grammar."

Only Acontiae cared to call Sirius on his obvious lie as all the other Blacks had more or less already assumed James, Remus, and Peter would have a hand in leaving a Slytherin boy tied to a tree. Mr. Black nodded to Sirius's explanation. His expression appeared to relax a bit as Sirius's motivations of chivalry and protectiveness seemed to be something he could agree with.

"Well, still, you shouldn't go about disciplining your peers like that." Mr. Black commented, still remembering his place as the parent in the situation. "That's what they have the Professors for and the last thing we need is you doing something to start up talk about expelling you again. Of course, if you're interested in attending Durmstrang for your 7^th Year, by all means tie as many of your classmates up as there are trees in the Forbidden Forest!"

"If I DO get expelled for my behavior I'd like to think you'd have the sense want me someplace other than that ruddy school with their Muggle hating polices and You-Know-Who pep-clubs." Sirius huffed at his father, evidently convinced he was over reacting on the subject.

"Well your grasp French is pathetic so that eliminates Beauxbatons and I'm not sending you to some bloody American school where they'll simply teach you how to blow up things with more competency." Mr. Black rationalized, growing irritated with the amused expression on Sirius's face. "I think Durmstrang would straighten you out, young man. Teach you that there are repercussions for uncivilized behavior."

"Like ham-fisted lummoxes and women I can't distinguish from the men?" Sirius retorted, blowing some hair out of his eyes in a show of his agitation on the subject.

"Are you seeing any nice girls lately?" Mrs. Black interjected quickly, as a show that she wanted to change the subject. The Black men turned to their matriarch to indicate their attention.

"I'm seeing MANY nice girls lately." Sirius beamed at his mother proudly.

"Oh Bloody hell. . ." Acontiae rolled her eyes again.

"Can't help but wonder how much he's seeing, hm Mum?" Celestine joked.

"Hey!" Sirius protested with a laugh. "I'm not THAT bloody popular!"

"Are you serious about any of them?" Mr. Black pressed with interest.

"Possibly, but it always gets way too complicated when I try to make anything work past a week or so." Sirius shrugged.

"You know, considering how supposedly fearless and brilliant you are with everything else in life, you're a right coward and ruddy idiot when it comes to women." Acontiae reported as though it were a fact of life.

"I don't remember tripping over any suitors for you on my way in, Acontiae." Sirius shot back.

Acontiae went red with either anger or embarrassment.

"So Sirius, kill any of your classmates lately?" Acontiae sneered.

"ACONTIAE!" Mr. and Mrs. Black yelled at their youngest daughter as Aurora and Celestine simply looked surprised. Sirius just glared with a sour expression.

"Sorry." Acontiae quickly said without meeting anyone's eyes.

A silence hung in the room for too long a moment when Aurora finally said.

"Well, it's alright if neither of you are seeing anyone seriously. It's not like Celestine and I are doing much better for ourselves."

"Which I simply don't understand about any of you." Mr. Black shook his head, following along with the new conversation. "Your Mum and I were MARRIED and expecting Aurora at her age now."

"How are things with Lucius?" Mrs. Black questioned.

"Fine." Aurora briefly answered.

"He seems interested." Mrs. Black observed.

"He certainly does." Aurora nodded ambivalently.

"Yeah, I sure do wonder what that old boy's interested in." Sirius said across the table to Celestine who shared his sneer.

"Lucius Malfoy is a fine young man, the both of you." Mrs. Black darted her eyes between her children in a disapproving manner. "The Malfoys have ancient blood, respectable ties, and make avid donations back into the Wizarding community. Lucius himself is on the fast track to becoming a Junior Minister. You just never gave him a chance Sirius, starting on the poor boy the moment Aurora introduced him."

"Am I the ONLY one who recognized that man is unadulterated evil?" Sirius exasperatedly demanded.

"No." Celestine assured before stuffing some greens into her mouth.

"Well, I think there's nothing wrong with Lucius. He's smart, charming, handsome, well-bred, and he was always nice to me, even at Hogwarts when I was six Years under him." Acontiae announced in a bratty tone that made it hard to decide if she truly felt this way or simply liked being contrary to Sirius.

"Well, you were always a daddy's girl like that." Sirius grinned at his sister.

"What did I tell you, Sirius?" Mr. Black pointedly glared at his son.

"Sorry." Sirius apologized to no one in particular.

"Perhaps a quiet meal would be better." Mrs. Black suggested with a sigh.

A thick silence showed that no one bothered to argue with this.

* * *

* ~ *

Dear James:

I miss and love you.

Now that my pining is out of the way, holiday is going well for me so far. My parents are happy to see me and we've been keeping ourselves occupied to make up for my not coming home during winter holiday. They keep asking me questions about you and school. Mum and Dad may only have met you once but they appear to be quite taken with you regardless. I suppose it pays to have a charming boyfriend now and again.

I spoke to my parents and if you'd care to drop in on the 21^st of March, they would be more than thrilled to have you. We discussed something around four in the afternoon and would have you over for supper. It would just be myself, my parents, and my sister since we don't really have all that much family but we'd be glad to have you. I don't know what Muggle Studies has given you as an impression of proper Muggle attire but your usual casual dress should be more than fine though I'd recommend against any cloaks or pointed hats if you were thinking of bringing them.

Well, I hope this will be alright for you. If not, I'm sure we can arrange something else. I hope everything is going well for you with the Longbottoms and am eager for your reply and even more so to see you again.

Love,

~ Lily

* ~ *

"What are you up to, James?" Frank Longbottom inquired as he entered the guestroom. He strolled over to the bed the boy was sprawled on top of in the guestroom of his flat. James set down the letter he had been reading over and over again since he had received and replied to it and gave his attention to his guardian as he sat himself upright.

"Nothing important." James admitted with a sigh.

"What's that?" Frank gestured to the stuffed bear in Quidditch garb James had tucked under his arm. James looked at the gift and smiled fondly.

"James Jr." James introduced the toy to Frank as he handed off the bear to him. "It was a valentines present from Lily."

"He's cute." Frank grinned as he inspected it.

"And he's bloody adorable when he's flying at 200 km an hour!" James reported, grinning as well.

"So this is what that Owl was about!" Frank chuckled. "The one with you piloting a broom through the castle."

"Aren't you going to lecture me on that?" James asked.

"Not with a straight face, no." Frank confessed as he sat on the bed. "You know not to do that again and I'm sure Professor McGonagall gave you some sort of detention to make you remember that."

"Yeah, gnomes bite really hard in case you're interested." James nodded.

"So I arranged for the floo network to connect you to the Evans home on the 21^st." Frank assured. "That's still the plan right?"

"Yeah." James nodded.

"Nice gesture to have you over for Vernal Equinox." Frank smiled.

"Actually, I don't think it's a very big Muggle event." James reported. "They have a holiday called Easter that is their spring event. I think the 21^st is just another day to them."

"Oh." Frank nodded, processing the information. "Well, we'll be having mine and Martha's family over that day. Probably the lot of them will still be here once you get back. Expect a lot of cheek pinching and marveling about your height."

"Something to look forward to." James grinned.

Frank's dark featured, pudgy face lit up as something just occurred to him.

"I just remembered why I came in. Martha finished a fresh batch of fudge, brownies, and cookies and is looking for some taste testers." Frank declared.

"Won't we be spoiling our supper?" James noted with amusement.

"Martha would find it to be an insult if we did anything less!" Frank assured as he ushered James out of the room.

* * *

A gothic style keep nestled in a misty moor served not only as Severus Snape's residence but the site of his family's Vernal Equinox celebration. Relations, acquaintances, and associates of both parents milled about the grounds of their home in honor of the season's crossover into the spring season.

Severus hated these functions.

Pretty much everyone his family saw fit to socialize with were jarring in some respects and his mother always insisted on him dressing properly for the occasion in some formal robes she selected. Fortunately, his mother had the sense to ensure they were always black. Normally Severus spent the afternoon standing off to the side, allowing his mother to crow about him to people he had no desire to impress but was still obliged to be respectful to for the duration of their stay.

Those were the more entertaining moments.

The remainder of the time was excruciatingly spent conversing with his relatives whom had an astounding knack for either disturbing him with their dialogues or humiliating him with their refusal to treat him as an adult.

Severus fully expected that Winifred's presence and Lucius Malfoy's recent cameo would serve as the only saving graces of the day until a voice caught him off guard as he lingered beneath a solitary willow on the outskirts of the party.

"Certainly feels like spring doesn't it?"

Severus glance over his shoulder and saw Aurora Black approaching in powder blue robes of an oriental design. Her hair was up, like the first time he had saw her complete with her handsome frames set over her sapphire eyes. An accessory which may have something to do with a scroll of parchment in her hand.

"What are you doing here?" Severus demanded.

He hadn't been aware Aurora had been invited.

As always, she smiled.

"Lucius requested that I show up." Aurora explained. "My department requires his signature on a few documents that should have been sent out on Owls yesterday. Apparently this slipped Lucius's mind so he asked me to meet him here. Naturally, I feel awful about barging in on your family affair because of office politics so if you find my presence an inconvenience, I can simply Dissipate from whence I came."

Severus evaluated this flimsy story, attempting to figure out whether the lie belonged to Aurora or Lucius. He was willing to wager on the later

"Not at all." Severus replied. "I'll escort you to Lucius."

"That's considerate of you." Aurora smiled appreciatively.

"It's more accurately a necessity if you care to be spared some traumatic episode which would undoubtedly follow speaking with a majority of my family." Severus corrected.

Aurora laughed at this comment as though it were a joke.

Severus took this as proof of how vital it was he remain near Aurora.

* * *

"What did you say his name was again?" Petunia Evans inquired in a tone that suggested she wasn't all that interested in the response.

"James Potter." Lily repeated for her older sister's benefit.

The Evans family was seated in the sitting room of their modest home, expectant of James arrival, which was due any moment according to the grandfather clock near the stairs. Lily attempted to keep her fidgeting down to a minimum while waiting but after not seeing James for nearly a week this was shaping up to be a more daunting task than she had imagined.

"The Potter's are a very good family name from where they come from." Mr. Evans reported to his elder daughter. "Very respectable."

"Lovely for the Potters." Petunia replied unimpressively.

"James is doing a wonderful job of keeping up this." Lily spoke more to her parents than her sister. "He's one of the leading runners for Headboy of our Year, very popular with most of the students and Professors, and Captain of our Quidditch House team."

"What was that last part?" Petunia demanded. "Some sort of club?"

"It's a sport." Lily clarified. "You fly around on brooms with three balls up in the air with you - "

"Oh." Petunia interrupted making a face at the mention of brooms.

Lily took this as her cue to drop the subject since any mention of magic more than agitated Petunia. Rising from her chair, Petunia crossed her arms.

"I'll be back in a moment." Petunia announced. "I promised I'd ring Vernon this afternoon and if we're going to be entertaining Lily's. . . friend I won't be able to later on."

"You're more than welcome to invite him over if he's available." Mrs. Evans offered. "I don't believe Lily's even met him and the wedding is only a few months off."

"That's quite alright." Petunia assured distastefully as she made her way up the stairs to use the telephone there. Lily waited until she heard her sister's footsteps overhead before she turned to her parents.

"You shouldn't have forced her to stay." Lily sighed, more than aware of her sister's regard towards sitting through a meal with anyone from Hogwarts. Although their relationship had long since deteriorated over the years, Lily and Petunia could agree on one thing:

Neither wanted Petunia there.

"We'll manage Petunia." Mr. Evans promised. "We raised her better than to be rude to our guests and she should be good enough to honor that, regardless of how she feels about it otherwise."

"Besides, dear, James hasn't met Petunia yet and it's not as though you can simply pretend that you haven't a sister at all." Mrs. Evans noted.

"Why? Petunia appears content with it." Lily observed, recalling her sisters active efforts to not introduce her to her fiancée, Vernon Dursley.

Her parents exchanged glances as though uncertain of how to argue against this point of her younger daughter. They were spared the attempted when a small clamor came from the fireplace at their side.

James straightened himself up, dressed in a sweater and slacks that were now covered in a thin layer of soot along with the rest of him. He was holding a bouquet of ash-dusted roses and a square package that he quickly inspected for any dents. He glanced over to the Evans with an apologetic smile.

"I'm sorry for the mess." James sincerely offered. "We don't learn how to Apperate until next year and this, surprisingly enough, is the least conspicuous means for me to arrive without the benefit of a Portkey but that's a whole different song and dance to get the approval of."

Mr. and Mrs. Evans blinked away their evident surprise as they threw up their smiles and went over to greet James.

"It's wonderful that you could make it this evening James." Mrs. Evans beamed warmly.

"You have a lovely home. . . probably more so before I exploded into it." James complimented, earning a few chuckles

"Please, don't give another thought to the mess, you're our guest!" Mrs. Evans dismissed the apology.

"I brought some sweets, Frank's wife owns a bakery and they're simply grand." James passed the box off to Mrs. Evans. "It's cakes and cookies mostly."

"That's very considerate of you. Thank you, James." Mr. Evans grinned as his wife carried the package into the kitchen.

James turned to Lily who had been patiently restraining herself so that James could make a proper introduction into her home. She approached her boyfriend, resisting the urge to latch herself upon him and commence a reunion snog with her father standing right between them.

"I brought these for you." James handed the roses to Lily. "You might have to rinse them off though."

"They're lovely." Lily accepted them with a grin. "I think I'll just put them in some water."

With that, Lily followed her mother's path into the kitchen.

"I'll show you to the bathroom so you can clean yourself up before supper." Mr. Evans offered as he placed a friendly hand on James's shoulder.

"I'd appreciate that." James nodded

"What was that noise?" Petunia's demanded from the stairs as she made her way down. "It sounded like a bird got caught in the chimney again."

She turned the corner and laid her eyes on the dusty James with a small sneer on her lips.

"Or a boy." She corrected herself in the midst of the bizarre situation before turning to Lily. "I imagine this would be our guest then."

James took a step over to Petunia and attempted his most charming smile in spite of his otherwise disheveled appearance.

"You must be Lily's older sister, Petunia. It's good to meet you!" James offered his hand out for a shake. "I'm James Potter."

Talking a labored breath, Petunia eyed the dirty hand before tentatively accepting it.

"Of course you are." Petunia nodded stiffly until catching her father's eye, prompting her to add. "Pleased to make your acquaintance."

"Likewise." James smiled as he released her hand.

It was almost amazing to see how Lily and her sister could possess such similar features and achieve such drastic results. Her neck was long like Lily's but almost to an exaggerated effect. Like Lily, Petunia was thin and tall framed but to a gaunt extent as though there was a conscious effort behind maintaining such a shape. The pale complexion of Petunia's skin struck James as that of a well-kept sort of woman whom never bothered to exert herself outside while Lily's fair skin has always struck him as less forcibly achieved. Finally, James decided much of Lily's appearance must be recessive as Petunia had darker hair like her parents and didn't have the same brilliant green eyes her sister possessed.

It was not to say that Petunia was unattractive, she simply wasn't the beauty James found Lily to be.

Of course he recognized there might be a certain bias in the matter on his part.

"Now that you've met everyone, I'll show you to the bathroom then." Mr. Evans led James off. "We'll serve some tea afterwards."

"Thank you, sir."

* * *

As he had more or less anticipated, Severus found his parents with Lucius Malfoy in the crux of the party so as to not appear as poor hosts. Although he would have thought it more merciful for him to bleed Aurora before shoving her into a next of poisoned asps rather than bring her anywhere near his parents, she had requested it and he had to oblige.

"Hello Severus. Aurora, thank you for meeting me here." Lucius smiled as he became aware of their presence. "Arcanus. Erinyes. You remember Dr. Black."

"How could we possibly forget?" Madam Snape smiled, stealing a glance at her husband.

"My apologies for arriving unannounced; however it seems that every time I try and get Lucius to sign these documents he manages to be spirited away." Aurora addressed the Snape's cordially. She turned to Lucius, extending the parchments towards him. "If you would take a moment with these, I'll be on my way and out of your collective hair."

"I would like to think that your department would find better uses for their Junior Head's time than couriering information about on her day off." Mr. Snape frowned at the management of the Ministry at times.

"Congratulations on your promotion." Severus offered Aurora sincerely.

"Thank you Severus." Aurora graciously accepted.

"Severus, I was not aware that you were so well informed of Dr. Black's standing in the Ministry." Erinyes Snape's eyes swung like a pendulum between Severus and Aurora.

Severus cursed himself for not being more conscientious in his wording.

"It's public domain as of Monday." Aurora explained. "It made small mentioning in the Daily Prophet."

Severus refrained for sighing aloud at Aurora's welcomed recovery but soon found himself questioning why she was inclined to think he required one.

"If you are available for a few moments, Doctor, we were just discussing the curriculum at Hogwarts with Lucius since he has been working with the administrative board recently." Madam Snape informed. "We could always benefit from another opinion."

"Apparently things have changed greatly with Professor Dumbledore's position as Headmaster from what your Mother and myself remember." Mr. Snape interjected in his silky voice.

"I would dare say that there have been changes from what Aurora and I remember of our academic career there." Lucius added. "Dumbledore, as brilliant a man as he might be, is ill-preparing students like Severus for the realities of the world outside Hogwarts."

"How are things all that different?" Aurora pressed with interest.

"Myself, the Snapes, and a few of our more prominent Wizarding families feel as though the students are being coddled in their current curriculum." Lucius reported. "While we all can appreciate the trying nature of our times, Professor Dumbledore's over cautious approach in the education of the Dark Arts coupled with his emphasis on Herbology, Transfigurations, and other electives of debatable priority are producing nothing more than Ministry approved Wizards rather than functioning members of our society."

"I agree with you entirely." Madam Snape nodded in approval. "It's disappointing how much Severus is ignorant of and how much I have to contribute to his proper education whenever he is home."

"What would you have him learn?" Aurora questioned Erinyes Snape. "That is to say, what do you feel is being neglected in Severus's education?"

Severus watched his mother take the question with a smile as she eyed Aurora with a merciless stare.

"I find myself receiving no comfort in knowing the most my son will benefit from in regards to the Dark Arts according to Hogwarts lesson plans are child's play hexes and pre-approved textbook information on what he can expect from a Dark Sorcerer." Mr. Snape confessed.

"We are merely speaking as concerned parents." Madam Snape clarified. "Perhaps you have not been paying attention to recent events, but the Dark Lord's Death Eaters are as cruel as they are scrupulous."

"I am aware of what Death Eater's are capable of." Aurora's smile failed her as she spoke through a hollow voice that showed she most likely did.

Erinyes Snape gave a thoughtful nod, but Severus saw a hit of triumph to his mother's gesture.

"Then you can understand why we wish the current headmaster would be more thorough in his instruction against it." Madam Snape stated. "I do not want Severus to only recognize the most heinous manifestations of magic after they have been employed upon him."

"I believe Professor Dumbledore is simply exercising a prudent caution in light of the times we live in, Madam Snape." Aurora defended her point. "Are you aware that the supporters of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named that Aurors are bringing in are getting younger and younger? We have to be careful what we are teaching the impressionable minds of our youth and what they should do with the knowledge they receive. The Dark Lord is twisting the passionate and troubled over to his cause with tempting lies of power and prestige. The last thing we need it to be opening anymore doors for him than he's already breaking down."

"Well spoken, my dear." Lucius praised Aurora like a child reciting the alphabet before readdressing the Snapes. "Aurora has counseled many families devastated by the evils plaguing our world and her insights into them are truly invaluable; however, one must admit that what might be tempting these children to the dark path may be rooted in their respect for the magics involved. After all, how can we expect our young witches and wizards to fully appreciate and differentiate appropriate magic if we only bother to provide them with one option? I believe curiosity and ignorance is responsible for twisting so many young people."

Aurora turned to Severus in a deliberate but kind manner.

"Speaking of unique perspectives, we are discussing the interests of our young wizards when we have one present." Aurora included Severus. "How do you feel about your education at Hogwarts, Severus? Do you feel prepared for the Wizarding world in the years time you'll be entering into it?"

Severus wasn't sure whether he should be grateful for Aurora respecting his opinion as an adult by inviting him into the conversation or resentful for now having to pick a stance that would either earn her displeasure or that of his parents.

"I feel that I am more prepared to take on the responsibilities of a wizarding adult than some who have long since acquired such a status." Severus carefully responded. "Hogwarts has been a necessary foundation to my overall grasp and appreciation of magic although my parents have certainly encouraged filling gaps that I have felt was present in my education."

Erinyes Snape put a possessive arm around her son's as she patted him on the shoulder.

"Our Severus is exceedingly mature for his age." Mr. Snape stated. From his wife's side "He had a good head on his shoulders and will not be coerced into any criminal behavior. It is other children from less attentive families whom rely only on what Hogwarts provides that I fear for."

"I think Hogwarts produces some of our finest members of society." Aurora maintained.

"Oh and we positively agree." Madam Snape assured. "However, our point is that since Dumbledore's presence as Headmaster we just find the quality of the experience of Hogwarts to be declining."

"How so?" Aurora challenged.

"Well, when Arcanus, myself, or you and Lucius attended, I never recalled any students almost being devoured by werewolves." Madam Snape offered up. She threw jibes about as though they were knives, piercing and always on the mark. Erinyes wanted to be sure that her son was always aware that there was power in words that didn't always have a magical root.

Aurora said nothing in reply.

What could she say?

Well, that would retain itself as polite conversation anyway.

"I think we will simply have to agree to disagree on this topic." Aurora declined a retort as she passed the parchments in her hand to Lucius. "If you would be so kind as to look over and approve these Lucius, I'll leave you all to your holiday."

"Oh that is not necessary." Madam Snape smiled. "Please, feel free to stay as long as you care to. There is little sense in sending you off seeing as how you have only just arrived."

"I would hate to impose." Aurora kept her eyes on Erinyes.

"It would be no such thing." Madam Snape assured before turning to her son. "Severus, be a good host and offer Dr. Black a tour. I have someone I have been desperate to introduce Lucius to since we last saw one another in January."

"Really?" Lucius's drawled with a note of intrigue.

"Yes her name is Narcissa, she is an enchanting woman from the LaFae line." Madam continued. "I believe she attended Hogwarts the same years as your middle sister, Dr. Black. Anyway, I thought there would be no harm in exposing you to a good woman from a good line since you are long past due in settling down, Lucius."

"Well, I have had some assistance with that." Lucius stole a glance at Aurora before he walked off with Erinyes Snape. "Although it is always a pleasure to meet your friends, Erinyes. I'll return these to you later, Aurora. Enjoy yourself."

Severus stood with Aurora as he watched his parent depart.

"It appears your mother is plotting." Aurora observed.

"Only when she's sentient." Severus replied.

"She doesn't like me, I take it." Aurora asked rhetorically.

"No." Severus admitted. "It is more about your brother than it is about you, if it is any consolation. My mother's lineage is traced back to the Mediterranean and they have a strong emphasis placed on blood debts. Tragically, his slights are yours in my mother's eyes."

"I see." Aurora nodded. "Is that how you feel as well, Severus?"

"No." Severus answered again. "I have a respect for you that is neither attributed nor impaired by the actions of your family. We do not share our history or destiny with anyone other than ourselves and are accountable alone for our actions in regards for them."

"Where did you learn that wisdom from?" Aurora smiled sincerely again.

"I believe that sounds like something Professor Dumbledore would say." Severus decided as he offered his arm to Aurora as a proper escort. "I could show you my father's hedge maze if you like. It is amusing and should spare you the company of our other guests."

"That sounds fun." Aurora accepted his arm and allowed herself to be led off. "Out of curiosity, why should I avoid the remainder of the party?"

"Because I'm fairly certain they would attempt to converse with you and I cannot imagine many good things will follow such a thing."

Leading her away from the body of the celebration, Severus couldn't help but notice how warm Aurora's presence felt at his side.

As well as the lingering impression of his mother's ever vigil eye.

* * *

James found himself in a torn debate as to whether everything in Lily's Muggle home was either impressive or mundane. It was true that there was a lot of similarities between the Muggle and Wizard culture, minus a few magical conveniences. If anything, James was persuaded to say he found the wizarding world to be somewhat lazy as the Muggles have managed to fend rather well for themselves in spite of the absences of magic.

He was certain to compliment Mrs. Evans on the meal she provided that evening since James knew that far more toil and care went into its presence than it would have in a Wizarding home. Grappling with the demands of being polite, witty, charming, interesting, and, above all, accepted, James evenly distributed the conversation between each of the Evans and attempted to introduce topics they would enjoy discussing.

Everything was going well except for whenever he tried addressing Petunia. She behaved as though anything he said was some sort of intrusion or otherwise beneath her responding to. Wondering if he was just asking the wrong questions or if she was merely put off by company, James found himself trying harder and harder to win Petunia's approval as she seemed determined not to give it.

"So, Petunia, you're Lily's older sister, am I right?" James inquired.

"Yes. I will turn nineteen in a month." Petunia replied as though it were an impressive accomplishment.

"So what do you do, may I ask?" James pressed the conversation.

"I do part-time clerical work." Petunia reported, working some roast in the corner of her mouth in an effort to hide her sneer.

"Right." James though he knew what that was unless the Muggles had a completely different system of office management. He hoped Petunia wasn't exposed all that much to the general populous if this was how she usually reacted to people. "So are you going to make a career of this?"

"Oh goodness no!" Petunia scoffed as though James had just managed to ask the stupidest question he could think of. "Once I marry Vernon, I plan on being a proper housewife and mother. That's the only full-time employ I care to have."

"Still, you should keep your options open." Mr. Evans instructed his daughter. "After all, you never know how well the economy will keep and when a second income might be needed."

"Vernon has a job with Grunnings." Petunia reported loftily. "It's the very best firm in regards to drills and they have nothing but the highest hopes for Vernon within it."

"I'm sure he will be very successful, darling." Mrs. Evans passed a bowl of steamed potatoes to Lily.

For the first time in possibly the entire evening, Petunia bothered to look directly at James. It was a scrutinizing sort of stare, which he felt was largely directed at his scruffy black hair.

"What about you, Mr. Potter?" Petunia questioned. "Once you've finished with your. . . schooling, what are YOUR plans?"

James felt all the other sets of eyes present at the table on him.

"Er, well," James took a sip of his water as it felt suddenly dry. "I was strongly considering becoming an Auror since that's what most of the people in my family end up as - "

"What on earth is an Auror?" Petunia interrupted.

"It's like a police inspector from where James is from." Lily offered. "They track down the worst sorts of people so everyone else can rest easy."

"Sounds like brutish work." Petunia commented; earning annoyed looks from her parents.

"Actually it's quite respectable!" Lily insisted defensively. "Only the brightest and most talented sorts are even considered for the job. Not to mention they're all brave and selfless enough to risk their necks so the average person doesn't have to."

"I was also thinking about politics." James added with a smile to try and get Lily off her rant. "Possibly playing Quidditch professionally if I was good enough."

"Are you planning on having your wife work, once you get married of course." Petunia demanded with an interest that implied if he said yes it would have a specific meaning to Lily's sister. James caught her throwing a deliberate look at Lily as she spoke.

"I suppose if she wanted to." James shrugged indifferently, trying his damnedest not to steal a glance at Lily.

"Why if she wanted to? Do you expect to make a lot of money in these . . . vocations you're considering?" Petunia continued to pry.

"They have generous incomes typically." James answered. "Of course, it's not really necessary for either of us to work if we were inclined enough to be unemployed."

"You're content with the prospects of being destitute and on the streets?" Petunia gaped.

"Actually that would be a challenge for me at this point." James corrected. "I'm the sole heir of my entire family fortune. I have enough finances and trades bequeathed in my name that I'm not entirely sure what to do with them. As for my living accommodations, well, I need to leave trails of breadcrumbs about to find my way around the estate typically."

James felt himself being stared at once again. He cursed his often too honest tongue but he had always been fairly upfront about his life and it was an effort to deviate from it typically. That and Petunia was trying his patience with her relentless fishing for something to disapprove of in him. James considered introducing Petunia to Snape and seeing if they hit it off since they have scowling and hating him in common already.

Wondering what he had done to earn Petunia's ire in the short time she had known him, James thought maybe she was trying to cause him to lose face out of concern for her younger sister. Maybe Petunia was afraid that he was intending to whisk Lily off to live in the Wizarding world and wanted to make sure that, if that happened, her sister would be taken care of. Thinking to the protective relationship of most of the Black siblings, James thought this was a likely reason for Petunia to resent him. Determined to speak with Petunia in privet if he could help it and clear the air, James wanted to show all the Evans that he wasn't looking to tear apart their family.

Maybe just become a part of it.

* * *

A vast majority of any effort placed into the appearance of Severus's home was on account of his mother's intervention. The hedge maze, however, was an amusement of his father's. Like many other members of the Department of Mysteries, Arcanus Snape found great interest in riddles and puzzles. It was something Severus had inherited from him.

The tall foliage walls loomed over Severus as he navigated the labyrinth with Aurora. He had long since memorized the fastest route through the maze since it had been a part of their property his entire life. Presently Severus found himself a bit distracted in keeping track of the proper way and only could accurately recall their place when he and Aurora came upon one of the marble statues from Greek lore his mother had placed in the maze for markers.

That's not to say he minded entirely.

"I couldn't help but notice when we were amongst the other members of the party that there didn't appear to be many people our ages." Aurora observed thoughtfully as she inspected a statue of Persephone in passing.

"My family line finds child-rearing to be a . . . distracting endeavor." Severus cautiously phrased.

"I suppose that explains why you're an only child." Aurora nodded in a non-judgmental fashion.

"When my parents made arrangements to be married, my Father had very few stipulations of my Mother regarding what he expected of a wife; however, a child was a patriarchal inclination he required to be met. I was the first result and my Mother didn't care to produce any further children as her obligation to my Father had been met." Severus explained coolly. "I'm sure you find this pragmatic outlook hard to relate to with three younger siblings."

"It's different from my home, yes." Aurora admitted. "However, your parents seem to invest a great amount of interest and resources into your life and you all appear to be very content with just one another. Your family just does with three members that mine does with six, that's all."

"Most find my situation unorthodox." Severus confessed. "Many outside of Slytherin, I've found, attach a significant amount of emotion into having children and most within my House have an even more practical regard than my family. Mostly it involves male heirs or the securing of assets, something of the archaic like."

"The Malfoy's are one of those families. Very business like in all their dealings and investments." Aurora stated. "I had such sympathy for Lucius as he had such expectations to meet at all times. Parents' always have expectations of their children, but when they choose to have children because they sincerely want them it's so much harder to be disappointed them."

Severus found a certain wisdom in her words as he realized his parents rarely disapproved of anything he did and, for the most part, seemed rather proud of what he had managed for himself.

Opting for the left corner over the right, Severus and Aurora encountered a rather lost looking Winifred as she studied a rendition of Hermes and attempted to remember her position in the maze.

Winifred's dress robes were the color of wine and her hair and make up were extravagantly executed. The effort screamed of his Mother. Whenever she was present at their home, Winifred often served as his mother's doll since she was accommodating and indifferent to the functions and Severus had no intention of allow his mother to practice such upon him.

It was a pity that family was predominantly present at the function as it put Winifred's fetching appearance to waste.

Pivoting her head, Winifred's expression was both relieved and curious as she spied her cousin and Aurora.

"Well I must confess I'm glad to see you." Winifred breathed as she approached the pair. "I've been wandering lost in here for nearly half and hour. It's been so long since I last attempted the maze I can't hope to remember the way out."

"I'm having similar difficulties." Severus nodded.

"Hello, I'm Aurora Black." Aurora extended her hand to Winifred. The younger girl accepted the gesture with a smile, not nearly as phony as Erinyes or as sincere as Aurora's.

"Winifred Wilkes. Charmed." Winifred replied, turning to Severus as though she expected to read something off his expression like the page of a book. "Black you say? Not any relation to Sirius Black by chance?"

"He's my brother." Aurora confirmed.

"Fascinating." Winifred smiled finally removing her eyes from Severus. "I have always found Sirius to be an interesting individual though I'm afraid Severus has had the privilege of his company far more than I. Are the two of you close?"

"Yes, Sirius and I are." Aurora informed.

Winifred offered an expression that suggested that wasn't the relationship she was referring to. Aurora's own demeanor suggested that she was probably aware of this.

"It's always good to have family you can be close with." Winifred approved. "Some people like to under appreciate how deep relationships within the family can be, assuming that it's only blood that joins them."

"I entirely agree." Aurora smiled. "Are you and Severus close to one another?"

"I like to assume so." Winifred turned her eyes on Severus again, as though this were some sort of challenge.

Severus was beginning to assume that all the women in his family were duplicitous, passive-aggressive psychotics on some level.

"Well, I think I remember the way out from here, so I'll leave you both to yourselves." Winifred offered a she brushed past Aurora and Severus. "I'll see you later at the party I suspect."

"It was nice to have met you, Winifred." Aurora called after the girl as the disappeared one of the hedge walls.

Severus had to admit he wasn't entirely sad to see her go as he continued his previous pass with Aurora through the maze.

"I'm curious, what's Winifred's relation to you?" Aurora mused. "She behaves as though she were a . . . sister perhaps."

Severus got the impression that Aurora meant to say "jealous lover" or "easily-threatened neurotic" if not for tact, but it was possible he was just imagining it. After all, she nurtured a precariously close relationship with her own brother which might cause her to consider such behavior on Winifred's to be the norm.

"A cousin. The Blood is three generations removed though. Though you're not entirely off the mark in your observation. In some ways Winifred is the closest thing I've ever had to a sibling or a confidant in the least." Severus agreed. "On account of her home life being a complicated, we've had years to nurture our relationship even before out admittance to Hogwarts."

"How so?" Aurora inquired politely.

"Winifred's Mother died birthing her and her Father and older brothers irrationally resent her for this. She's virtually ignored by all of them." Severus explained.

"That's unfortunate." Aurora commented with sincere sympathy.

"When we were children, my Mother thought I could use a playmate or something to the effect and Winifred was the only relation of my age available often." Severus went on. "I doubt I was as attentive as Winifred would have probably liked but she followed me around anyway and never complained about any activities I suggested as amusement. I suspected she was lonely and was just content to have someone taking an interest in her existence."

"That was rather nice of you." Aurora smiled approvingly.

Severus really hadn't attached such implications to his childhood with Winifred, he just saw it as convenient social interaction but he supposed Aurora was entitled to her opinion.

"I was merely indulging my Mother's wishes." Severus replied modestly. "If anything, I believe she took pity on Winifred as she knew her Mother from Slytherin when they attended Hogwarts. It was probably a bit selfish as well. Mother had no desire to put in the effort required for a second child but I always suspected she wouldn't have minded a daughter to indulge and mold. She was allowed this through Winifred, which is why she never seems bothered to have her around."

"Sounds like a fair situation for all parties concerned." Aurora nodded. "Winifred has people to acknowledge and be interested in her, your Mother has a young lady to keep her company and be a role model to, and you have a friend."

"I suppose it is convenient." Severus admitted. "I've grown accustom to Winifred, even when she's prying into my affairs, since Winifred always attempts to help me in her own roundabout fashion."

"It wouldn't really be family otherwise, would it?" Aurora decided.

It only then caught Severus's attention that they had arrived to the heart of the labyrinth. Within the vast clearing, a large statue of a Minotaur was the sole occupant. Aurora smirked at its presence.

"Your mother appears to have a fondness of puns and old myths." Aurora observed. "Perhaps that would be a civil conversation to broach with her."

"Possibly." Severus couldn't be entirely certain of that. "She is a wealth of knowledge on the subject but we never went beyond the generalities of it. I only recently applied the topic in Muggle Studies."

"Muggle Studies?" Aurora repeated. Severus couldn't decide if her tone was surprised, amused, or impressed. Possibly all three. "I wouldn't have suspected that you would have found interest in the class."

"Actually I find it fascinating at times." Severus informed. "How an entire civilization of people manages to survive without the benefit of magic does comment on their perseverance and ingenuity. I addressed such qualities in my most recent paper with an allusion to the Greek Titan Prometheus."

"Very clever of you!" Aurora praised. "Prometheus was always one of my favorite characters. I suppose because he reminds me of Sirius for his way of pulling the wool over the eyes of people and annoying them all for the greater good he's built up in his mind."

"Your brother certainly seems the type to get himself chained to a rock as an eagle consumed his liver for his effort." Severus dryly decided.

Aurora apparently chose to be amused by this comment rather than offended judging by the sudden rising of her eyebrows.

"Your Mother would be ever so annoyed to see that you have inherited my brother's flare for social grace more than her own. I imagine it would be the same sort of twitch she suddenly develops whenever I bring up the subject of Divining."

Severus and Aurora both turned as they noticed a woman join them the center of the maze by means of another passage of hedge. Vates Snape smiled at her nephew. She was dark featured with a gaunt form, as were most members of his paternal side. Severus had always wondered if she and her Father shared the same smile. He couldn't be certain since he had no memories of his Father every performing such a gesture.

"Hello Aunt Vates." Severus strained his manners. He didn't loathe his aunt as much as he did her exclusive presence. Vates was unsettling even by Snape family standards and Severus preferred to have either his mother or father present to keep her from disturbing him too much with her usual choice in conversation.

"I'm sorry did you mention Divination?" Aurora questioned.

"Yes I did, my dark little sunrise." Vates smiled.

Aurora blinked at the play on her name, evidently noting that she had not yet given it to the woman yet. Severus chose to frown.

"Aunt Vates is regarded as a clairvoyant in my family." Severus explained. "She manages a few lucky guesses for herself time to time."

"Severus likes to greatly downplay my capacity as an oracle." Vates announced as she approached the two others present with her. "He's always been as negative and resistant as his mother on the subject of soothsaying."

"I would call what you do more akin to doomsaying, my dear aunt." Severus countered.

Aunt Vates had the unpleasant habit of only bothering to predict oddities, misfortune, and woe in cryptic manners. They rarely made sense when they were first heard but after whatever it was she predicted had already come to pass hindsight bias allowed for the irony of her words to be appreciated like the punch line of some twisted joke.

"It is not I who prescribes the destiny of man, but the three sisters of fate. I merely recognize the woven thread, whom they are connected to, and where they are severed." Vates defended herself, before turning to look directly Aurora. "Would you care to know what I see for you, dear?"

"I'm afraid I had my fill of Divinations back in Hogwarts. Thank you kindly though for offering." Aurora declined politely.

"Are you a skeptic like Severus or afraid like Winifred?" Vates pressed.

"Afraid." Aurora admitted. "As tempting as it may be to know what will come next, I see little sense in dreading events I have no power to avoid."

"Oh I like her." Vates grinned at Severus. "Sensible yet perceptive, such rare virtues for a Witch to posses. I imagine you must appreciate them even if your fair-headed mutual friend does not."

"Dr. Black doesn't require my approval." Severus reported, guessing Vates was referring to Lucius.

"Well, I suppose you will simply have to wait for future to catch up with you." Vates spoke to Aurora.

"I find patience to be yet another virtue of mine." Aurora smiled.

"You and your fair-headed friend." Vates nodded. "Of course, yours will fair longer than his."

"Ah. Well, speaking of Lucius, I'm probably running his patience thin with not retrieving those documents from him." Aurora wagered. "Severus, would you help to show me the way out? It was a pleasure meeting you."

"Likewise." Vates assured. "I always enjoy meeting people whom do not go to such painstaking measures to emulate Erinyes's example."

"Good afternoon then, Aunt." Severus quickly wished as he took Aurora's arm in an effort to usher her out of Vates's company a bit quicker.

Once they were thoroughly immersed in the maze once more, Aurora turned to Severus.

"May I ask why your Aunt bothers you so much?" Aurora inquired. "Are her predictions really so astute?"

"The thing to understand about my Aunt's predictions if they are vague and often the phrasing is the worst part of them." Severus began in a silky voice. "As an example, she predicted one of my other Aunts would be widowed before she was married. This troubled her greatly until she ended up marrying a vampire. Aunt Vates's prophecies are often ambiguous like that. The most they have to offer traditionally is unnecessary worry. You were wise to refuse her."

"Has she ever predicted anything for you?" Aurora continued.

"Yes. Several times, several predictions." Severus replied uncomfortably.

"Have they ever come to pass?" Aurora sounded intrigued.

"A few, but most pertain to me later in life." Severus revealed. "I'm still not entirely confident that my Aunt is less of a clairvoyant as she is an eerie judge of character."

"I'll assume you have no intention of telling me what your Aunt may have said." Aurora guessed.

"No." Severus admitted. "And I doubt Winifred would be inclined to discuss the things she's heard from Aunt Vates either. Winifred is greatly disturbed by Vates's presence and I believe a large portion of that is rooted in whatever future she had envisioned for her."

"I'm feeling better and better that I didn't allow my curiosity to have the better of me." Aurora confided in a teasing fashion.

"You should." Severus agreed knowingly.

* * *

Abandoning James to the living room, Lily went to help her parents clear off the table and bring out some coffee and sweets to finish off the evening. Uncomfortable just sitting by himself staring at the motionless pictures framed on the walls, James caught sight of Petunia seated on the bench near the front door of the house in the twilight of the spring evening. Sucking in a deep breath, James opened the door and peered out at Lily's older sister.

"Can I speak with you for a moment?" James inquired tentatively, but had an air that suggested this question was more rhetorical than not.

Petunia sighed.

"If you must." Petunia relented.

James shut the door behind him as he joined Lily's older sister on the front stoop of their home. Observing the quiet night in the Muggle neighborhood, James kept a respectable distance from Petunia as he addressed her.

"I'm not exactly sure how I managed it, but it seems I've started off on the wrong foot with you somehow and have done something to offend you." James led in awkwardly. "I'd really like to know what I did so I can properly apologize for it, you see. I don't want any ill feelings between us if it's something I can help."

"Oh I very much doubt you can." Petunia scoffed with a humorless laugh.

"Well, I'm willing to give it a go." James insisted, trying not to be put off by the young woman's resentment. "You sister's important to me. Really important. I want to be on good terms with her family and if you give me a chance I'm sure you and I can come to some sort of understanding."

"I understand things perfectly, Potter." Petunia assured. "I understand that you are some abnormal creature my younger sister saw fit to latch herself onto."

James gaped at Petunia for a moment, attempting to recover from this unexpected and candid dialogue.

"Look, if you're worried about my intentions for Lily, don't be, alright?" James tried a different approach. "I care deeply for you sister and would NEVER do a single thing to hurt her if I could at all help it. More importantly, I'm not trying to take her away from her family, you can rest easy with that."

"Take her." Petunia offered with a dismissive wave.

Again, James could only offer a stunned stare her way.

"Pardon?" James demanded.

"Are you thick, Potter? I thought you were supposed to be the smartest freak in the show back at that school of yours." Petunia spat. "You want to run off with my sister, by all means. She belongs in your bizarre fantasyland more than she does in this respectable home. You both can just sit about, pulling rabbits from your pointed hats until you find yourself tied to some stake with a roaring fire at your feet."

"Hold on, you don't like me because I'm a wizard?" James attempted to clarify the root of Petunia's hostility.

"Whatever you call yourself." Petunia affirmed.

James felt blown away. It hadn't occurred to him that some Muggles might be bigoted towards Wizards, but James felt silly for not considering it before. After all, there were such prejudices in his world. Still, the fact that Lily's own sister chose to maintain such narrow-minded opinions was obscene to James.

"So I gather you reckon your sister is a 'freak' just like me?" James pressed.

"If not bigger." Petunia retorted. "I suppose I can't fault you entirely for your wretched state since you were born into it, but Lily had an option. She could have lived a proper life without your kind's parlor tricks and nonsense, but she CHOSE to be an abomination. I wanted to think this was just some phase she'd pass through until she got her head on straight, but she's intent on becoming the biggest freak in the lot and our parents praise her for it! It's appalling the lives you people lead."

James chewed on some words in his mouth like a hunk of taffy. He looked away from Petunia and took a deep breath to as not to say something heated or unintended. Once he felt himself properly composed, James returned his attention to Petunia.

"I know I'm a guest in your home, but I feel obliged to say your attitude is utterly offensive." James reported.

Petunia's long neck twisted sharply so James could see the flare in her eyes.

"I beg your pardon!" Petunia screeched indignantly.

"You bloody well should!" James agreed sternly. "Your regard for your sister is intolerable. There is not a single thing wrong with Lily and if that's escaped your notice than I'm not the thick one between us. Listen to yourself, bitter and ignorant because you can't be bothered to think past your own life!"

In spite of his better efforts, James felt himself becoming swept along with his rant.

"You know what the most infuriating part of all this is? She's your sister." James chided. "What I'd give to have ANY family and you're willing to just give up Lily because her life is different from yours? Well, Petunia, I can tell you firsthand that the world is a lonely place and tossing out perfectly good family members is a brilliant plan to land yourself alone."

"How DARE you make such predictions about my life!" Petunia observed James with a sneer. "I have a proper fiancée, I'll do just fine for myself, thank you. And if you're the best my sister can manage for herself than she deserves whatever rotten fate you have to offer her."

Fed up with Petunia's slander, James forgot himself and most of his manners as he was fully intent on giving Lily's sister a full piece of his mind.

"You know something - " James pointed his finger to Petunia and was shocked to see her reel back in a terrified flinch.

"You - your plotting to curse me!" Petunia stammered, wide-eyed.

"What?" James was probably more taken aback than Petunia at this moment.

"Don't you point at me, you awful boy!" Petunia ordered, but the fear in her voice betrayed any command to her words. "You want to curse me because you don't like that I see you and my sister for the unnatural things you both are!"

James felt his eyes narrowed from behind his spectacles. Lowering his hand, he gave off a frustrated snort as he turned back to enter back into the house.

"Curse you? Honestly!" James shook his head. "I wouldn't strain my voice on the words."

Petunia hugged herself as she watched James step into the house, calling in before the door could shut.

"Mum, I can't take it anymore! I'm going to Yvonne's!" Petunia hollered. "Have a GRAND time with your odd guest, Lily!"

The remaining member of the Evans family entered into the sitting room carrying a tray of coffee and the sweets James had brought along. Mrs. Evans had a tight frown across her lips and an apologetic expression to her eyes.

"James, I must ask you to forgive Petunia's behavior this evening." Mrs. Evans requested. "I'm afraid that even after six years she hasn't entirely adjusted to the unique circumstances that surround our family's life."

"It's quite alright." James smiled.

"Well, let's attempt to have a nice evening shall we?" Mr. Evans urged as they took their seats in the living room and settled the tray on the coffee table between them.

* * *

It was dusk by the time Severus and Aurora found their way out of the maze. Leading her back to the party so she could find Lucius and be on her way, Severus spied his mother talking with her sisters: Horae and Grace. The three women were identical triplets, nearly indistinguishable in their features and demeanor. The only difference was Aunt Grace habitually monopolized the conversation with her gossip and Horae seemed to be the more even-tempered of her sisters. All three possessed a fondness of Severus and Winifred and a biting wit for everyone else.

They were also absolute harpies when they got together.

Severus steered Aurora in the opposite direction of his maternal line and hoped his mother was too busy cackling with her sisters to take notice of them. Lucius, Arcanus Snape, and a few other associates from the Ministry were gathered in a cabal near the edge of his mother's rose guarded.

"I should leave you to be on your way." Severus decided. "You've been forced to waste enough time here today between Lucius's negligence and my Mother's insistence."

"I never waste my time, Severus." Aurora smiled. "I always spend it however I care to."

Aurora placed a hand on Severus's should and left it there possibly longer than she needed to.

"Thank you for showing me about." Aurora went on. "You have an interesting home and even more interesting family. It's something to be proud of."

"Should I?" Severus wondered.

"Oh yes." Aurora insisted. "Although I don't necessarily agree with or understand everything about your situation, you've managed to end up a level-headed young man who knows where he stands in his own family and refuses to budge an inch on that. It says something about your character."

"As does your relentless tolerance for your brother." Severus offered. "Thank you for coming even though it wasn't your intention. You made this day more tolerable than it would have been otherwise."

"I wasn't aware that I had managed such a feat!" Aurora laughed though Severus was fairly certain it wasn't at him. "I should return the favor sometime. If you end up near London before you're off holiday, send me a message and we'll have a luncheon at Diagon Alley. I live and work there so I can always free up an afternoon for a friend in town."

"That's a possibility." Severus considered. "I could probably do well to restock my potion supplies before school resumes term."

"All right then." Aurora agreed. "Pleasure seeing you again, as always Severus. Keep in touch and have a lovely evening."

"You as well, Aurora." Severus bowed his head slightly as a parting gesture as he turned around and headed for the main house. He wasn't in the mood to commiserate with his family or their friends as he was confident the evening could only go down from there on out. Inspired by her presence, Severus decided to attempt to finish charming the gift he had been grappling with for the past month.

Climbing the stone steps of the balcony connecting to the second level, Severus groaned inwardly as he saw his Aunt Vates descending them simultaneously and making the avoidance of any conversation impossible unless he cared to leap over the rail.

"And what happened to your little dark sunrise?" Vates raised an eyebrow.

"She has departed for the evening." Severus hoped this would be the end of their dialogue.

"Although she might not have been interested, would you care to know what I have seen?" Vates baited.

"Not in the very least." Severus shook his head but doubted that would be enough to deter the woman. While she might not impose her predictions on strangers, Vates had little compulsion about tormenting blood.

"That woman suffers for her love." Vates continued as expected. "It is a dangerous pain because she embraces it so freely."

"I'm aware of Aurora's martyring inclination." Severus retuned softly.

"Well, perhaps it will bring you comfort to know, my Nephew, is that Aurora will only bear the most burdens for those who mean the most to her. A sacrifice she never offers unless she is willing." Vates patted Severus on the shoulder.

"Why would that matter to me?" Severus demanded.

"Do you really want an oracle to answer that? It takes some of the sport out of being a moody teenage boy." Vates smirked.

Severus scowled.

"I think I'll go now before you attempt to goad me into anymore self-fulfilling prophesies you've cobble together." Severus said pointedly.

"One more question Severus." Vates requested. "Do you find it humorous for the sun to chase the moon as the moon chases its heart?"

Severus stopped on his steps and spun around at the allusion to the myth of Selene and Endymion.

"It is such a charming notion, really, but soon the moon will chase the sun, the sun will set and everything the day brought with it will be laid into a restless sleep. It is just how these things work." Vates vaguely rambled on. "You will get the joke in all this in time. You will probably need to explain it to your dawn however. I am afraid the subtitles of it might be lost on her."

"What do you mean?" Severus pressed.

"Come now, Severus. When did you start believing in prophecies?" Vates challenged as she continued down the stairs.

Severus knew he believed enough in them to not like them.

* * *

Winifred had lost interest in the party long before it had even begun and retreated to the sanctity of her bedchambers at Severus's home. She was rarely acknowledged at these functions on account that she wasn't an overachieving genius in some field of magic or a socialite who kept a tight reign on the topic of conversation. If it wasn't for the fact she was cunning and shrewd mixed with the right amount of offsetting, Winifred was sure she'd be ignored entirely.

Initially the room had just been guest quarters that Winifred happened to frequently occupy, but somewhere around the age of ten it unofficially became Winifred's as it was decorated to her specifications and contained more personally artifacts than she cared to keep at home.

In a way, Winifred living most of the time with her cousin's family was largely responsible for having anything resembling a relationship with her brothers and father. They were almost pleased to see her when they made an effort to every few months.

There was a light knock on the door. Winifred turned to acknowledge Severus's mother as she entered.

"Fabulous party, Erinyes." Winifred praised with a smile that Erinyes entered. "I'm sure everyone enjoyed themselves.

"I received no complaints." Erinyes nodded. "Of course, I imagine no one would lodge them to my face if they did."

"Probably not." Winifred agreed as she approached her vanity and started to undo her hair.

Erinyes Snape joined Winifred and helped the girl to smooth out her dark layers with a brush. It was a very maternal gesture that caused Winifred to wonder if Erinyes ever showed a similar side to Severus. She could only assume that her cousin and his mother had their own understanding and kindnesses between them. Winifred assumed her feminine gender might have something to do with the overt quality of Erinyes attention.

"You look more like your mother every year." Erinyes observed as she worked the bristles of the brush through Winifred's hair. "I knew you would mirror her when I first saw you. It was why I insisted your father give you her name."

"I had always assumed that Father did so out of tribute." Winifred mused as she watched Erinyes through the mirror.

The older woman's face formed an expression that suggested she was almost insulted by this assumption.

"I do not believe your father would be so sentimental to honor your mother like that." Erinyes replied. "Winifred was like a sister to me in Hogwarts and in our short time after. When I learned we were marrying into the same family line, I was thrilled. Her death. . . her death was hard to accept."

"I wish I knew her." Winifred's tone was ambivalent in spite of her words. It was hard for her to feel anything for her mother, a woman she knew only through the memories of others.

A woman she killed selfishly to be born.

Winifred never knew how to feel about her mother.

"I do not believe you need to worry about knowing your mother." Erinyes assured, as though reading Winifred's thoughts. "Not with your appearance and disposition so much like hers."

"It's largely attributed to your influence." Winifred decided. "You practically raised me."

Erinyes smiled reminiscently.

It was a rare expression on account of its sincerity.

"I would have liked a daughter." Erinyes confessed. "I suppose I could have had another child, but that would have been unfair to Severus. I wanted to be there for him exclusively; so all my energy would be invested in him and the man he would become. You were around often enough for me to indulge that desire but since you were not my child of flesh and blood I never worried about Severus feeling threatened by your presence."

"I don't believe so either." Winifred said. "I think he accepts that my relationship with you is different from the one you possess with him. That he is always first to you."

"Still, you are important to both myself and Severus. I believe, as much as he is capable of it, even Severus's father is fond of you." Erinyes patted Winifred's shoulder. "I rest easier knowing you and Severus are in Slytherin together, in the same Year. You have your strengths that help one another, that makes each of you successful and strong. It was what I wanted most for Severus, to have a confidante and ally in this life when I was unavailable or he grew too mature and independent for me to serve such a function. It's good fro Severus to have a young woman like you in his life."

Setting the brush down, Erinyes placed both her hands on Winifred's shoulders. There was something both proud and possessive in the gesture. Winifred felt like a doll, treasured and groomed with a specific purpose in mind.

To provide someone with an unspoken comfort and amusement.

"I've always been grateful for the care you've shown me, Erinyes." Winifred smiled softly. "I would do anything to repay you and your family for accepting me."

"That's nice." Erinyes stepped away from Winifred to examine some of the shelved objects decorating the room. "Did you meet Aurora Black?"

"Briefly." Winifred nodded.

"She is an Analyst, you know. Her profession is probably a great service in tending to that troubled brother of hers." Erinyes suspected.

"Troubled?" Winifred questioned. "I never really thought of Black as disturbed. Odd or annoying perhaps, but . . ."

Erinyes neck turned so quickly it almost provoked Winifred to jump in surprise.

"Severus mentioned nothing to you?" Erinyes raised her eyebrow; evidently she had initially assuming otherwise.

Winifred realized she was missing something in the conversation.

"He's mentioned his dislike of Black and a few instances to support it, but nothing to suggest it was anything more concerning than a school boy grudge." Winifred reported the most she knew.

Erinyes brooded over this silently, leaving Winifred only to speculate what the woman was alluding to.

"I would explain things to you; however it has been deeply encouraged that I maintain a certain measure of silence on the matter." Erinyes finally said in a bitter note. "Perhaps your peer Copia or Severus himself might be able to fill in the blanks on the deplorable quality of Sirius Black."

Winifred wondered what Florence Copia had to say on Sirius Black and Severus's feud and whatever she was missing. Mentally, she made note to investigate this later on since it would be a futile effort with Erinyes as she was most likely through handing out breadcrumbs on the subject.

"I take it you don't approve of him speaking with Black's sister then." Winifred prompted, curious if Erinyes mother had reason to suspect there was more to be concerned about than a few stray conversations during an afternoon.

"I suspect it will only be problematic later on." Erinyes vaguely stated. "Severus would do fine without the . . . complications Aurora Black could introduce into his life."

Winifred was beginning to catch Erinyes meaning. She suspected that it was Black's sister that Severus had been maintaining contact with over several months and the way he interacted with her . . . Winifred had never seen Severus' attention so devoted to a single thing.

Winifred suddenly felt discarded.

"I doubt we are due any true concern in this matter. Severus is a very rational and reserved individual. It is unlikely that there will be anything to cause and of us duress." Erinyes sounded as though she were attempting to convince the bother of them of this.

In the back of her mind, Winifred questioned if Erinyes had been hoping to bait some jealousy within Winifred throughout the entire conversation. To make her eager to superimpose herself between Severus and Aurora? To rival a woman that Erinyes most definitely did not approve of for her son with one she had expressed a fondness of one more than one occasion?

Winifred felt used and discarded now.

"I'm sure you're right." Winifred agreed flatly. "If not, I can always remind Severus of his priorities."

"You were always very skilled at that." Erinyes Snape smiled knowingly as she walked over to touch Winifred's face affectionately. "So very much like your mother. . ."

With those words, Winifred finally felt something for her mother.

She felt sorry for her.

* * *

Out of an unnatural consideration as far as parents go, Mr. and Mrs. Evans bid James an early farewell to leave him and Lily sometime alone on the front stoop to catch up. Seated side by side on the bench Petunia had previously occupied, the low whistle of the wind and the distant rumble of thunder provided a soothing backdrop for the young couple to sit with.

"You're parents are amazing to leave you alone with your boyfriend." James praised.

"Well, let's not pat them on the backs too hard." Lily grinned. "They set us outside figuring we wouldn't do anything too scandalous in such a public place."

"Is that a hint we should set out to prove them wrong." James teased.

"No." Lily chuckled.

"Damn." James sighed. "Oh well, I had fun this night. Your parents seem to like me AND you sister seems to hate me."

"That's not your fault." Lily assured. "Petunia is a difficult person to get along with."

"Was she always like that?" James inquired.

"No. She was always a little moody because that's just her nature but she wasn't this bad before. . ." Lily trailed off.

"Before you were accepted to Hogwarts?" James finished.

"Yes." Lily nodded.

"You don't blame yourself for Petunia being a bigot do you?" James questioned.

"Not really, no." Lily shook her head. "It's just hard sometimes."

"I get that." James said sympathetically. "I never really appreciated how hard it could be for the Muggle born until I got a taste of the opposite. Whoever heard of a pureblood wizard being discriminated against! I certainly didn't before today, but I'm not going to complain. You deal with this sort of thing every day and it's a hundred times worse because of the way the Wizarding World is set up. Not only that, but you get the same exact thing at home."

James turned to Lily and brushed her cheek gently.

"It's like you don't belong anywhere and that breaks my heart." James's tone was soft. "You're so wonderful everyone should want to be around you."

"It's alright." Lily smiled as she leaned into James's shoulder. "I know who my friends are, who I'm important to. That's all I need. I can hold my head up high through the rest of it."

"You're truly my better half." James decided. "I was just about to offer hexing the lot of any who dare cross you."

The young couple shared a laugh. As it died down with a fresh peal of thunder, Lily stole a glance at James.

"How are you holding up?" Lily asked.

"Why do you ask?" James wondered.

"You seem, I don't know, a bit sad." Lily noticed awkwardly as she pushed some of her red hair behind her ear. "It's like you were going through the motions most of the night. I guess I assumed you'd be a little happier to see me."

"I am!" James insisted as he took Lily's hand. "I truly am. I haven't been the same without you around me and this is the first time since I left you at King's Cross that I feel whole. But, yeah, I do feel a bit off-color."

"Why?" Lily asked with concern.

"Families." James summed it up. "I've been surrounded by them since we went on holiday. The Longbottoms, your family, and the Blacks soon enough. I just really feel like I'm missing out on something and there's not a whole lot I or anyone can do to remedy the situation."

Lily wasn't entirely sure what to say in reply to this. She could understand why James was depressed but she couldn't know. Knowing she had her parents or even Petunia meant so much to her and James had nothing like that to fall back on. She pushed a tentative hand through his uneven hair and squeezed his hand with the other.

"You have me." Lily offered. "It's not much, I know - "

"It's everything." James cut her off as he turned to her.

Lily felt herself blush slightly but she kept smiling.

"I have lots of people who care for me like a second family, like the Blacks and the Longbottoms." James explained. "But I'm still on the outside in the end. And then there's you. It's like you're mine, there for me and me alone. Like it's the start of something bigger and better than what I have going for me right this moment."

"I'm flattered that you think of me like that." Lily accepted with a sincere grin. "And I know what you mean. Being with you, it's so special to me. You're like my best friend and my true love all in the same stroke. I find so much of myself through you I don't know how I ever got along before you became the most important part of my life James. I don't suspect I'd get on very well without you."

"You don't have to worry about that." James promised. "You don't have to worry about ANYTHING. I'll take care of you always, Lily. You won't have to worry or want for anything as long as I'm there."

"But I don't want that." Lily confessed. "I don't want to be maintained. I want someone who depends on me like I depend on them. A partner."

James met his eyes to Lily in a deliberate sort of look.

It wasn't lost on either of them just how adult this conversation sounded.

"Well, I would depend on you for a sense of fashion since you're certainly in possession of a better one than myself." James lightened the mood. "And I can always contribute new and interesting ways to bend every last law the Ministry has ever bothered to establish for the sake of our personal amusement."

"So basically we make up wisdom and whimsy between us?" Lily mused while smirking.

"It's worked so far." James observed with a smile. Sighing, he glanced at his pocket watch and looked mournfully at Lily.

"I should be off soon."

Lily wrapped her arms around the length of James's body as though he would try and leave that very instant.

"Just a bit longer."

James smiled as he held Lily as close to him as the confines of their human forms would allow, kissing the top of her head.

"How about a lifetime?" He offered.

"That would do just fine."

* * *

Sirius was bored.

When Sirius was bored, Sirius got in trouble.

Presently, this included his sister Acontiae as they occupied the same kitchen space. She was helping herself to some milk and cookies on hand that Celestine had made earlier on. Sirius was attempting to inhale as many handfuls as he could manage to ensure he would be well wired for the remainder of the evening.

"You'll get acne if you keep stuffing your face like that." Acontiae reported.

"You'll get fat if you keep stuffing your arse like that." Sirius retorted.

Acontiae glared at her younger brother as he offered a cookie filled grin.

"I can't believe you're the favorite." Acontiae muttered.

"I'm not." Sirius replied, swallowing his mouthful. "Aurora is the favorite, I'm the favored, and Celestine is caught somewhere in the middle of all that."

"And I'm left out in the cold." Acontiae sneered.

"Not that you help things all that much." Sirius snorted. "If it makes you feel better, Mum and Dad have always spent about twice as much on you as they have the rest of us. You're the spoiled one."

"Hush money, I imagine." Acontiae rolled her eyes. "In exchange for being silent about all the emotional neglect I suffer."

"Yeah, Mum and Dad REALLY aren't getting their galleon's worth." Sirius shook his head. "You won't shut up about how the poor, little pureblooded witch with her own wing and enough shoes and cloaks to outfit Hogwarts has such a rough time."

Acontiae's face offered that annoyed expression that always managed to satisfy Sirius before she turned towards the doorway.

"MUM! CAN'T WE SHIP SIRIUS OFF THE DURMSTRAM LIKE DAD WANTED!!!" Acontiae complained through the archway.

"Absolutely not!" Mrs. Black called back from a different room in the wing. "Those students are bad enough without your brother's influence!"

Sirius let off a mad cackle as he pilfered a few more cookies and ruffled Acontiae's hair, causing her to growl.

"Another thing, Sirius." Acontiae called him back. "When are you going to outgrow this whole starry-eyed little brother phase of yours?"

"What do you mean?" Sirius demanded, turning around.

"You and Aurora." Acontiae spoke as though it were obvious. "It's getting a bit creepy."

"No it's not!" Sirius spat back childishly.

"YES it is!" Acontiae insisted. "You're both far too old to be caring on like you ALWAYS do! Walking around, arm in arm, cooing at one another and swearing off any other company for your own! People are going to start talking and I don't want people looking at me funny because . . ."

"Because what?" Sirius growled. "Going to use the "I" word to describe me and Aurora?"

"What if I do?" Acontiae challenged. "Not like either of you are giving people much to go on otherwise."

"Acontiae, you don't know what you're talking about." Sirius said flat out, trying to keep his temper. "Aurora and I just have a bond, alright? Like the sort of things twins can have but different. There's nothing wrong with us."

"Fine, I'll drop it." Acontiae relented. "But at least think about how it looks from the outside position of things. That is unless you're plotting to offer your "special bond" speech to everyone you meet."

"Whatever." Sirius deflected. "Night, Sis."

"Night." Acontiae went back to pouring a fresh glass of milk.

"Night Mum!" Sirius called to where he had last heard his mother's voice.

"Night, Luv." Mrs. Black returned as Sirius made his way over to the conservatory and sitting room they kept in the house.

Sirius was delighted to see Aurora already taking her seat in front of the piano.

"Hey just get back?" Sirius grinned as he went to join his sister. She nodded as she made room for him on the bench next to her.

"I should have known you'd be up." Aurora commented. "Care to keep me company for a bit?"

"Absolutely." Sirius beamed as he flexed his fingers and began to play with Aurora. It was a mellow piece so as not to disturb the rest of the house.

"So where did you go today?" Sirius inquired.

"I had to spend most of the day tracking Lucius down on behalf of work." Aurora sighed.

"You're. . . you're not back with him are you?" Sirius tenitively asked.

"No." Aurora shook her head.

"I know this isn't going to make into the Daily Prophet, but I hate it when you're with him." Sirius admitted quietly.

"I know that, Sir." Aurora nodded. "I guess the only question is why don't you like Lucius?"

"I know you'd probably love to analyze it as some need to be the focus of your attention but I'm afraid it's woefully normal, dear sister." Sirius replied. "I hate him because you won't."

Aurora stole a glance at her brother.

"I'm going to have to ask you to explain this to me, I think." Aurora requested with interest.

"I remember when I was little, seven or eight years old, you'd be home for the holidays or off-term and sometimes I'd hear you sobbing in the night." Sirius recalled. "It took me a while to get it, but eventually I knew it was Malfoy. More importantly I knew he didn't even care that he made you cry. Now that I'm older I get it more, Malfoy's just one of those emotionally abusive prats who needs a strong girl to tear down so he can feel powerful."

"Maybe you should be the analyst in the family." Aurora smile flickered but remained on her face.

"Don't do that." Sirius insisted gravely. "Don't hide behind your smile and dry remarks, ignoring the problem right in front of your face. You're not made of stone, Aura, and when you give me that default smile it's like. . . it's like something is dead in you."

"I'll work on that for you." Aurora promised.

"I've got another question." Sirius went on.

"Alright." Aurora waited.

"Did you write Severus Snape back around February?" Sirius kept his eyes on his sister.

"Why do you suspect that?" Aurora probed.

"I thought I saw Helios deliver something to him." Sirius rationalized.

"Well you did." Aurora admitted.

"Why the bloody hell are you writing him?" Sirius demanded.

"Because we met around your suspension from school." Aurora's tone was cool. "I was merely curious to see how he was getting along considering I felt somewhat responsible for any troubles on his part."

"Yeah, well that was my mess and you had no part in it. You have no reason to feel guilty or apologize to Snape." Sirius countered. "He's such a prat I'm sorry you had to talk to him."

"What's so wrong with Severus Snape?" Aurora raised an eyebrow.

"Do you want the creepy reasons or the undiluted evil ones?" Sirius smirked. "He looks and acts like he's not Severus but rather Severus Snape's corpse animated from the dead to skulk about being pale and unnerving. While he's doing this, Snape likes to be hypercritical of everything that's not done by him since he's so bloody perfect and has a personality about as easy to cozy up against as a jagged glacier with rabid wolves patrolling for the first opportunity to snap at you."

"He sounds positively like a nightmare. Let us write the Ministry this instant and have something done about the threat he posses to all-Wizard kind." Aurora teased, causing Sirius to laugh.

"Yeah, I know I'm being dramatic, I still don't like him though." Sirius admitted. "No one holds a grudge like that wanker."

"Present company excluded?" Aurora raised an eyebrow to her younger brother.

"I'm not that bad." Sirius insisted.

"No of course you aren't." Aurora agreed. "But I'm your loving sister so I'm very biased on that matter."

"That's another thing." Sirius pressed plunged on with the conversation and the piece they jointly played. "Acontiae was telling me how perverse you and I are. Like it's wrong for us to be this close."

"Acontiae is . . . difficult." Aurora carefully said. "She feels as though she's not as special as the rest of us, which isn't true in the least. Most of what she says is for attention and I doubt she means even half of it. I think she's just jealous that she doesn't have the same kind of relationships everyone else seems to have. Mine and yours, Celestine and Dad's, or Mum's with pretty much all of us."

"So I should just ignore her on this?" Sirius clarified.

"I intend to." Aurora informed.

"Well, she did say something that had me wondering." Sirius confessed. "Acontiae thinks that because we're so involved in one another we're blowing off perfectly good suitors."

"Are you lonely?" Aurora asked with a worried expression.

"Oddly, no." Sirius shrugged. "I thought I might be eventually, but I'm not."

"Don't you ever just want a girlfriend, Sirius?" Aurora questioned.

"Sometimes, but it's rarely for the emotional stuff." Sirius clarified.

"So it's for sixteen year old male stuff then?" Aurora smiled almost knowingly.

"Seventeen year old male stuff in a few more days." Sirius replied with a grin. "Yeah, it's usually pretty shallow. I know that going in most of the time so I usually end up with these shallow girls because I don't want to sting anyone along unfairly."

"Why don't you ever want anything deeper?" Aurora asked curiously.

"Because I have you for that." Sirius rationalized. "That's why I'm worried if our relationship is weird. I don't really care to find a girl to connect with because you know me better than I know me and I've got James and the others for any remaining intimacy I might want of a person. I'm content the way things are."

Aurora paused as she seemed to be deeply thinking about something.

"Sirius, I'm not going to always be here exclusively for you." Aurora finally said gently.

She turned to look at Sirius.

Sirius turned to look away.

"I know that." Sirius replied quietly as well. "I'm not asking you to either, you know. I guess I just wanted to take for granted that you'd go about with casual sorts of guys, I'd go about with casual sorts of girls, and we'd still pretty much just have each other."

"That might be enough now, but it won't always." Aurora reasoned. "You'll get to an age sometime where you'll want a family of your own. . .I'm finding myself near that age now. I love you Sirius, more than probably anything in this life, but that kind of love can't be all I have to look forward to and it shouldn't be something you settle for either."

"So where does this leave us?" Sirius questioned

Aurora took her hands from the keys and placed her arms around Sirius. He hugged her back tightly.

"No place different." Aurora assured. "The sun will rise tomorrow and we'll still be a brother and sister who mean the world to one another. We'll just have to learn to share the spotlight a bit with someone else."

"Just promise it won't be Lucius Malfoy." Sirius requested.

"I promise." Aurora could honestly agree.

"Good, I'd hate to disappoint you by killing the git."

"You're going to be a tough act to follow, my darling, charming younger brother."

"You're likewise hard to replace, my wonderful, wise elder sister."

Although Aurora had said nothing had changed, the fact they admitted the reality of things aloud had made everything different. Recognizing one another as young adults whom had needs and desires that no sibling could completely fulfill. In a way, the Black siblings felt as though they had failed each other a bit after spending their entire relationship devoted to one another and not be able to be the only person for them in the end.

In the silence of the conservatory, Sirius and Aurora mourned whatever was lost between them and each felt a hollow apprehension as they silently contemplated what they would attempt to fill these voids with.

* * *

* * * * * *

* * *

Because Oy! Angie loves her puns and Greek Myths

Horae = The Hours or a trio of Goddesses in ancient Greece who represented Lawfulness, Justice, and Peace.

Grace = The Graces, another trio of Goddesses who embodied Beauty, Joy, and Blooming

Vates = Latin word for a Prophetess

So we meet Petunia at last. I hope I did a fair characterization of her. Seems like too many fanfic writers have her out to be a lot worse than she actually is.

* * *

Unwell

By: Matchbox 20

* * *

All day

Staring at the ceiling

Makin' friends with shadows on my wall

All night

Hearing voices telling

Me that I should get some sleep

Because tomorrow might be good for something

Hold on

Feeling like I'm headed for a

Breakdown and I don't know why

Well I'm not crazy

I'm just a little unwell

I know right now you can't tell

But stay a while and maybe then you'll see

A different side of me

I'm not crazy

I'm just a little impaired

I know, right now you don't care

But soon enough you're gonna think of me

And how I used to be

Me, I'm talking to myself in public

And dodging glances on the train

And I know

I know they've all been talkin' bout me

I can hear them whisper

And it makes me think that there must be something wrong

With me

Out of all the hours thinkin

Somehow I've lost my mind

Well I'm not crazy

I'm just a little unwell

I know right now you can't tell

But stay a while and maybe then you'll see

A different side of me

I'm not crazy

I'm just a little impaired

I know, right now you don't care

But soon enough you're gonna think of me

And how I used to be

I've been talkin in my sleep

Pretty soon they'll come to get me

Yeah, they're takin' me away

Well I'm not crazy

I'm just a little unwell

I know right now you can't tell

But stay a while and maybe then you'll see

A different side of me

I'm not crazy

I'm just a little impaired

I know, right now you don't care

But soon enough you're gonna think of me

And how I used to be

Yeah, How I used to be

How I used to be, yeah

Well I'm just a little unwell

How I used to be

(A little unwell)

How I used to be

I'm just a little unwell