A much welcomed breeze passed down the quiet suburban street, lightly ruffling the dark green leaves on the finely pruned shrubs and entering through the immaculate windows providing the identical houses with a short distraction form the humid weather.
The breeze roused the lounging residents and their clammy faces lit up as the cool breeze hit their sun-kissed skin, but as quickly as it had come, it went, and the residents once again collapsed in their deckchairs and returned to their futile attempts at cooling themselves down with their homemade fans.
At the very end of the extensive street stood a large, manor-like house, though, next to its neighbouring houses, it was dilapidated in comparison.
Its ruff and grimy bricks were decaying away were they met the old wooden windowpanes that reflected years of rot. The windows were thick with dirt and dust, and many of the dark grey slates, which matched the colour of the worn-down front door, had fallen from the roof and lay in small clusters upon the floor.
Down the dishevelled front path, just before the welcoming sign, which lay just beyond the rusting front gate, in the middle of an untamed lawn sat two children who were around the age of eight.
The first was a boy. He smiled widely, causing his emerald green eyes to sparkle, as blades of grass landed in his unruly black hair. He pulled his baggy black trousers up and pushed his round glasses, which were held together with tape, further up his nose as he bent down smiling mischievously, picking up a handful of grass and throwing it at the girl opposite him laughing.
The girl squealed jumping away from the grass, and began to laugh as she bent down, pushing back her long dark brown hair and grabbed fistfuls of the grass and began throwing at the boy, as she skipped away from him causing her fading dark blue pinafore to sway around.
The boy grinned and leaped at the girl, but she was quick and managed to jump out of the way, and when she had, she turned around and stuck her tongue out making her high cheekbones appear more defined.
The boy frowned playfully and ruffled his messy mop of black hair before once again grinning as he started to chase her.
The girl laughed and sped across the grass away from him and ran into the bushes and began to weave in and out of them as she ran, hiding from the boy.
She looked around cautiously with a smile on her face, making sure to pay extra attention to the slightly thicker bushes, as she started to slow down, so she wouldn't make as much noise.
After a while, she slowed down until she finally came to a stop frowning slightly. She stood on the spot and placed her hands on her small bony hips as she started to rotate.
When her back was turned, the boy, who had previously been hiding in a bush not far away, silently crept up behind her and when he was near her, he grinned and shouted out loudly as he sprang forwards, knocking both him and the girl to the floor.
The girl sat up immediately, and looked down at the boy who lay beside her and when she saw his wide playful grin, she smiled and began to laugh, causing her turquoise eyes to light up.
She shook her head, and stood up, holding her hand out to the boy, and once he took it, she pulled him up, and linked her arm with his, and they both walked merrily back through the maze of bushes towards the building.
"Wha-" I began to say as I shot up from my pillow breathing heavily.
I looked around in a daze trying to get my bearings, as my chest heaved up and down.
I brought my hand up to my clammy forehead and closed my eyes for a moment just concentrating on slowing my racing heart.
When it had, I pulled back my covers and the hangings around my bed, and grabbed my wand, igniting the candle on my bedside cabinet. I carefully picked it up, and quietly got out of bed and made my way across the room to the bathroom.
Once there, I closed the door behind me, and placed my candle on the shelf next to the sinks and stood in front of one, looking at myself in the mirror.
My hair was scruffy and knotted showing that I had been tossing and turning, and the front bits of my hair were stuck to my sweaty forehead. My eyes had bags around them and were slightly bloodshot making my face appear paler than it already was.
I surveyed my appearance again, before shaking my head and turning on the tap and splashing water in my face.
I sighed as the cold water hit my hot clammy skin and after I'd finished, I put my hands on the sides of the sink and kept my head lowered, just thinking things over.
It was just a dream, I told myself, not even a horrible dream just...strange. It was like the others I'd had; though in this one, nothing particularly horrific happened, in fact, nothing at all happened, it was just full of those feelings again, of familiarity, everything just seemed so abnormally real.
And those children, I thought, they were what made me really think, I felt like I knew them, or I should know them at least. The boy was so familiar, his hair, his smile, his nose and his mannerisms, I knew them all, I know I did, but the more I thought about him and who I know that was like him, those emerald green eyes would suddenly pop up, and I realised I was wrong. I only knew one person with those eyes, and that was Lily, and she was definitely not a young boy.
But the girl, she had...turquoise eyes, I thought frowning. In the other dreams I've had, the baby, or woman, has always had turquoise eyes. Surely that isn't purely a coincidence...is it? Could she be the baby girl from my other dreams? I mean, the place were they were playing in this dream, I'm sure I've seen that as well, in another dream...
I scoffed, splashing more water on my face, and shook my head as I looked up again and stared at my reflection once more. I was being ridiculous; they were dreams, just dreams of random people my brain was conjuring up, nothing more. I bet they all looked so familiar because I was picking out features I see everyday, like my eyes, Lily's eyes, and just moulding them all into people. Yes, that was it.
But just to be on the safe side, I thought as I picked up my candle and made my way back to bed, I'll write the dream down like the others.
I blew out my candle as I yawned widely and thought, but tomorrow, I'll do it tomorrow.
I clumsily clambered into bed, not bothering to close my hangings, and as soon as my head hit the pillow, I was asleep once again.
"Were you up last night Ebony?" Lily said as she sat down beside James the next morning at breakfast.
I nodded tiredly and said as Remus lifted my elbow out of my cereal as he read the Daily Prophet, causing my head to slip off my arm, and making me bolt upright suddenly wide awake.
"Yeah, yeah I was," I said blinking rapidly, when did it get so bright in here?
"Why are you so tired anyway Ebony?" Peter said as the yoke from his egg dribbled down his chin.
James, Sirius and Remus were all acting as if their integration never happened, all those silly theories of Peter being up to some shifty business had been forgotten, thank Merlin. But I must admit, from time to time I do catch them sending him slightly calculating and suspicious looks, but as soon as they feel my heated gaze, they turn back to what they were doing as if they never did anything.
Honestly, you'd think he was some sort of criminal.
I shrugged in response to Peter's question and said "I don't know, I just couldn't get to sleep I guess..." I finished frowning when I heard annoying giggles coming from behind me. I turned with an irritated look on my face only to find Sirius's fan club, sat waving and winking at him.
I rolled my eyes and turned back around, I would preferably like to keep my breakfast in my stomach, what I ate of it anyway.
Lily, who was sat opposite me, frowned, but I ignored her, she knew as well as I did that I was out like a light last night, I had no trouble getting to sleep whatsoever.
"Miss Riddle...Miss Riddle?... Miss Riddle!"
I shot bolt upright when I heard a loud voice by my ear. I looked around dazedly for a moment before my eyes landed on Slughorn stood right next to me with a disapproving look on his face. To be honest, I don't really know how I missed him; he's not exactly the...easiest person to overlook.
I rubbed my eyes saying, "Oh, sorry professor, what were you saying?"
"I was saying," he said as he raised an eyebrow, "That potion is about to bubble over, see that you fix it straight away, it could turn quite nasty, and believe me, it will happen. I once had a student who burnt his eyebrows off...permanently, and I'm sure you wouldn't want that, would you now?"
I shook my head as I saw my potion was indeed reaching the top of the cauldron and said as I started to add ingredients "No sir, we wouldn't".
He nodded patting my shoulder, and walked away over to Lily, and started praising her for her potion.
I turned to Bella when I heard her scoff, and rolled my eyes saying boredly "What is it now Black?"
She put down the vial that was in her hand forcefully on the table and turned to me with a glare saying, "When are you going to give this whole act up, eh?"
I blinked and said, "Excuse me, what?"
She made a noise of disgust and said, "Use your loaf Riddle! This whole 'I'm a sweet little rebel' act, it's getting old".
I frowned saying, "What are you talking about?"
She shook her head saying "You know exactly what I'm talking about, one minute you're trying to be little Miss Spooks with your uninterested attitude and doing what you please in lessons, and the next, your trying to cosy up to the professors, making small talk, it's sickening!"
My eyes widened in disbelief and I shook my head saying, "Have you heard yourself? You sound like a jealous little child, not getting the attention they crave. Why are you so bothered about my actions?"
She ignored my comments and sat back in her seat folding her arms and said as she looked me over "You could have had it all Riddle, and look at you, you're a Gryffindor hanging around with the likes of the Marauders and irritating Mudbloods and Bloodtraitors. You just threw it all away, family, fame, fortune, and power, you threw away so much power" she finished in a hiss.
My eyes hardened at the word Mudblood and I scowled saying "And you call what you have a life? You kill people Bella, you're a murderer, you have no true friends, they would sell you out in an instant in order to save their own skins. Your family don't love you for who you are; they love you for who they've moulded you into and you call tearing families apart and causing people to live in fear, power? If so then yes, I did throw it away, and gladly so, it's saved me from becoming you" I finished shoving her shoulder to emphasize my point.
Her eyes narrowed as she said, "Well, if thats what you think Riddle, then you ought to take a good hard look at those around you, they're not all as innocent as they seem".
"I trust my friends," I hissed firmly.
"And it will be your downfall" she whispered smirking.
For the rest of the lesson, I was fuming. Really, what on earth was she talking about? That whole thing was so totally out of the blue that it seemed almost unreal; it was just a random attack, and those accusations! How dare she judge my friends by the likes of her standards.
I glared at her as she left the room, and pushed all of my equipment forcefully into my bag, making sure to grab my journal before I walked away, don't want it to fall into anyone else's grasp.
Once I left the classroom, Sirius, James, Lily, Remus, Mira and Dakota were instantly by my side questioning me, though Dakota didn't seem nearly as interested as everybody else, she probably knew everything anyway.
"What was Bella saying?" Mira said eagerly.
James nodded saying "Yeah, one minute she was fine, and the next thing I know, you're both arguing!" he said waving his hands about.
Sirius looked angry and said "Did she threaten you?"
"Well she'd be able to say something if you all gave her the chance" Lily said frowning.
I sighed, folding my arms over my journal and said shaking my head "No she didn't threaten me, it was weird, she didn't do anything, apart from the usual insults. In fact, it seemed like she was almost... scolding me" I finished frowning.
Dakota raised an eyebrow saying "Warning I'd call it".
I looked at her and said, "Yeah, that's what I thought too".
Remus looked between us both and said slowly "Warning you about what exactly?"
"About one of you lot" I said looking around at them all.
"Us?" Lily said frowning, "What are we going to do?"
I opened my mouth but I had nothing to say, I didn't know.
"Betray her" Dakota said bluntly.
Sirius frowned and said defensively "We wouldn't betray you, is that what you think?"
My eyes widened and I quickly shook my head saying firmly "No, of course not, I'd trust you all with my life, but it does make you wonder what she was talking about, you can't deny that".
Sirius scoffed as he put and arm around my waist bringing me to his side and said "Yeah well, pay no attention to her, she's always tried to get under peoples skin, attack them from the inside".
James nodded as he patted his rumbling stomach "Sirius is right, just ignore her. Now lunch is on, and I want to get there before Peter can eat all the good stuff".
"James, have you seen the table recently? Surely you don't think Peter could eat all that food by himself, do you?" Lily said in disbelief.
"I wouldn't put it past him" James said grinning as he started dragging her to dinner, as we all followed.
I smiled and walked along behind them with Sirius, but I couldn't help but wonder what she was talking about. It must have been something, she definitely knows something I don't, she was practically gloating about it, that's how she works, she can't resist dangling the information that she knows people want in their faces, she's just one big evil tease.
But the annoying thing is, that her tactics are almost starting to work.
Don't get me wrong; she doesn't affect me anyway, I'd never be scared of her or anything like that, it's just, I can't stand not knowing something everybody else does, and if Bella's prepared to gloat about it so randomly instead of waiting for the opportune moment to throw it in my face, then it's got to be something important.
Sirius shook my side bringing me out of my thoughts and said quietly "What's up?"
I shook my head smiling and said cheerfully "Nothing!"
He raised a sceptical eyebrow but chose not to comment. Instead he said gesturing to my journal in my hands "So, are you ever going to tell me what's in that book of yours?"
I looked down at it; he'd think I was mad if I let him read it, especially since I wrote down last night's dream of familiar looking children. It's not so bad letting Lily know about it, she's been there when I've had them, seen how they've affected me, but with Sirius, well, it'd be like looking into the diary of a madman.
I smiled up at him mysteriously and said, "We'll see".
He rolled his eyes grinning slightly, knowing I'd tell him when I was ready, if that time ever came, and after a moment, his grin turned into a devilish smirk and his arm tightened around my waist.
I raised my eyebrows at him and said as I looked over his expression "What are you doing?"
"How about you and I skip lunch?" he said suggestively.
I sighed, when would he learn I'm not one of the little giggling girls that follows him around, I don't want to skip off to the broom cupboard for an hour every now and then.
I rolled my eyes saying, "For the last time Sirius, no".
"Oh come on!" he said in a whiny voice as we sat down, "I've done everything you said, I've been waiting ages!"
"I'm not dashing off to the broom cupboard with you!" I hissed through clenched teeth quietly so as to not attract attention.
Sirius looked at me for a moment before he started to laugh.
My expression went blank, was I...missing something here?
He shook his head as he calmed down and said as he leaned across the table "I never said anything about sneaking off to any broom cupboard, did I?"
"Well, no" I said frowning, "but I know that's what you were trying to insinu-"
"Actually," Sirius said as he leant back, "I think you'll find that there was no hidden meaning behind my words. I was simply suggesting that we skip lunch and maybe go to the kitchen, you know, to be by ourselves, we're always around other people".
My mouth closed. Ok, maybe I was wrong then.
"...Oh" I said sheepishly after a moment, but when I saw his triumphant grin I quickly said "But you do realise that we aren't a couple, time on our own is not a necessary thing here".
He sighed smiling slightly "Give it time, Ebony, give it time".
I quickly looked away from his gaze and started piling my plate full of food, was he...planning something?
font color=Darkpink>No time to dilly, and no time to dally! Now, off to the results with you for a sneak peak, you privileged person you! ^_^
*Sneak Peak!*
Sirius sighed, and glumly put his hands in his pockets as he turned around and slowly started to walk back the way he came, kicking a stray piece of parchment as he went, that went rolling down the now empty corridor.
"How utterly pathetic" a voice near by sneered.
Sirius's head shot up as he stopped in his tracks. His eyes narrowed as he looked around the corridor and when he couldn't see anyone, he said "Not being man enough to show your face whilst insulting someone is patheticSnivellus".
Snape stepped out of the shadows with his usual sneer plastered on his face. His school robes hung limply off his scrawny frame, and his long, greasy black hair hung lifelessly in front of his dark eyes, contrasting drastically with his deathly pale complexion.
"And people wonder why Regulus doesn't associate with the likes of you. Running after blood traitors, no wonder your family is disgusted by the mere sight of you. But, I suppose it's only natural for Mudbloods and Bloodtraitors to stick together," he said smirking; "you're a dieing breed after all".
Anger flashed across Sirius's face, and before Snape could even blink, Sirius had his wand out, and pointing in his direction threateningly saying, "Oh, and you'd know all about being loved, Snivellus?"
...to be continued
Right, another chapter over and done with, do let me know what you thought of it! The next chapter is the first half of my looong chapter ^_^
Oh, and i'm sorry for the memo, i'm just a bit...well, i dunno really lol.
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xLoversxKissx
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