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┄┄ .•* 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟔 *•. ┄┄

𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐚𝐬

────── *•. ⚡︎ .•*──────

Days turned into months and soon enough November rolled around. Annora could certainly say she loved Hogwarts, all her fears about change and experiencing different things were thrown out the window the moment her first day at Hogwarts ended. But she missed her mom more than anything in the world.

During those months at Hogwarts, Annora and her friends had become rather close. They had created their own little family in Slytherin. Sometimes, though, Annora would lose her patience with the boys, who sometimes acted like morons, and she would hang out with Lily and her friends.

Lily, of course, didn't mind, enjoying Annora's company, well, apart from the moments Annora started to embarrass her or purposely irritate her to no end. Alice was always really nice to her and didn't miss an opportunity to ask her about Muggle music. Dorcas and Marlene, though, every time Annora would approach them the first month would eye her wearily. Annora assumed it was because she was a Slytherin, but she tried to brush it off, which was easy seeing as the moment Annora started talking and laughing with the girls they seemed to forget that little detail. And by now they were completely over the fact that Annora was indeed a snake.

And speaking of snakes, Annora's roommates were still as stiff around her as they were on the first day. Rosalyn Knight was still friendly towards her, being polite but not overstepping the barrier of friendship. They had mutual tolerance relationship and that seemed to work out. Meredith Bole, though, often came with a few snarky replies or annoying comments aimed at Annora, but because they were usually in the morning after they had just woken up or at night when they were going to bed, Annora just figured the girl was cranky when she was sleepy.

And apart from her group of friends in Slytherin, Annora had made a few acquaintances outside of her house, though they all seemed a bit wary of her. That was something she didn't fully get. Sometimes they eyed her as if she was scared, and Annora found herself about as scary as a bunny in a meadow. Either way, she had become acquainted with a Ravenclaw boy named Aaron Gardner (they has bonded over their miserable performance in Herbology, and would sometimes study together in the library), and the Hufflepuff metamorphmagus girl, Danica Reagan (she was the only one that didn't care for the fact that she belonged in Slytherin, being aware of the fact Annora was the one that asked how a hat talked on their first day).

Until now Annora hadn't had many mishaps at Hogwarts. Well, unless you count the fact that Barty was always dragging her around the school trying to find passageways. With Florence's help, Barty had taken to find and learn about every nook and corner of the big castle. And subsequently, he pushed Annora, Regulus, Evan, and Rabastan into it. Let's just say that by the time November came around, they were definitely not getting lost anymore.

***

"Come on, Reggie!" Annora pleaded as she grabbed the boy's hand and tried to pull him with her, "You have to wish him Happy Birthday!"

"Do I?" Regulus grumbled, suspiciously eyeing his brother who stood in the courtyard, smiling smugly as he was showered in compliments for existing. He promptly glared at Sirius.

"Yes, you do!" Annora whined.

"I think Annie has a crush on a Gryffindor," Bas said from his place sitting on the bench. Barty's legs were thrown over his lap and his head lay in Evan's. Annora and Regulus stood.

"So what if I do?" Annora said unashamedly, "It's none of those four morons, so hush it."

"I don't want to go there," Regulus said looking over at the big group of Gryffindors in the center of the courtyard. He grimaced, "Too many lions."

"Alright then, we'll catch him later. Because you are going to wish your brother a happy birthday, Regulus. One thing I've learned from the twelve years I've had on this earth—"

"Eleven," Evan muttered.

"Twelve, take away twenty or so days," Annora snapped and cleared her throat as she went back to her speech, "Anyway, no matter how strained your relationship is with somebody you wish them happy birthday—unless they're irredeemable jerks or you simply forgot or didn't know. I don't care if your brother is, in fact, a jerk but I know he's not irredeemable and neither are you, so eventually you will get off your ass—"

"Arse," Evan muttered again. Anora glared at him and then her eyes fell on the Gryffindors who were making their way past them, just Regulus' brother and his three friends. Once they passed by them Annora grabbed Reggie's arm again and shoved him inside the castle.

"Go!"

"Fine, I'll talk to him, bloody nagging witch," Regulus grumbled under his breath before grabbing a hold of her arm and pulling her with him making Annora squeal. "But you're coming with me, Hale."

"All you had to do was ask, Black," Annora said with a grin as they walked inside the castle and saw the four lions not far from them at the end of the hallway. "You know I can't stand by and see you stop talking to your brother! I already have a front-row seat to the shit show Petunia—Lily's sister—is becoming—I'm not proud to say I might've damaged their relationship a bit myself, what with me being a witch and a much better sister. It wasn't my fault that my magic "bursts" turned Petunia's hair green. Wandless magic? Me? No. It was definitely an accident..."

"Annie, do you ever stop to breathe?" Regulus said cutting her off with a laugh—though he immediately stopped as they'd reach the Gryffindors. Regulus' face blanked as he called, "Sirius!"

The four boys stopped on their track and turned to look at the Slytherins in front of them, raised eyebrows in place.

"Happy birthday, brother."

"That wasn't so hard, now was it?" Annora muttered and saw Lupin's lips tug into an amused smile.

Sirius Black looked at his brother, searching for something in his eyes before his face fell into a handsome grin, "Thanks, Reg."

Regulus nodded and without another word walked away leaving Annora behind gaping at his retreating figure.

"Hale?"

Her head snapped to Potter. "Yeah?"

"You're Lily's friend right?" he asked her, eyes glinting excitingly.

Annora groaned and rolled her eyes, amused by the snickering sounds of his friends. "No. Whatever it is, the answer is not. Lily's already pissed at me. I am not agitating the fucking storm."

Potter pouted.

"What did you do?" Black asked with a smirk.

"I accidentally transfigured her quill into a snake," she said with a grimace and the boys gaped. "It was a little snake. Barely lethal. If at all. I don't have good aim, you see. I'm not good at using a wand for magic."

"What do you use for magic then?" Pettigrew asked, trying to strain his neck to put himself a few inches above her—it didn't work, Annora was still proudly taller than the little Gryffindor.

"My hands," she said with a shrug. "Anyway, happy birthday, Black."

She was about to turn back when someone caught her wrist and she looked up into the eyes of Sirius Black. He was smiling at her. "Thank you for getting Reggie to talk to me. It was a word, but... Anyway. Thanks, Hale."

Annora took a second to consider his words before she tugged her wrist from his hand. "Don't thank me. He's not the only one who doesn't talk to his brother."

Without another word, she turned around and went back to the courtyard where her friends were. When she reached Regulus she slapped him around the head; the boy yelped. "Jerk! You left me in the lion's den!"

"You seemed pretty chatty, though," Regulus mumbled.

"I'm always pretty and chatty."

"Fair point," Barty announced from his place on the bench.

***

Olivia had kept busy during the months without Annora and was pleased to say she grew quite close with Euphemia and Fleamont Potter.

She hadn't quite accepted Euphemia's proposition but after having dinner at the Potters, she did accept their friendship. At times, Euphemia and Fleamont reminded Olivia of people she had never met, some sort of parental figures in her life.

She realized she was old enough not to require parents, being that she was a parent herself, but the Potters were too welcoming and she could not help but feel like an honorary member. She just hoped it wasn't quite one-sided, that she wasn't getting too attached.

But at the moment she did not quite care if they did not think of her as even a friend. Olivia walked out of the fireplace in the Potter's living room, a letter gripped tightly in her hand.

With a pop, the Potter's house elf, Finnie, appeared in front of her, his big green eyes looking at her happily, his ears flopping as he clapped. "Ms. Olivia! Finnie wasn't expecting Ms. Master and Mistress are in the dining room!"

"Thank you, Finnie," Olivia said with a smile before following the elf to the Potter's dining room and trying to calm down her anger as she gripped the letter tighter.

"Olivia!" Euphemia greeted with a smile, a gestured to the chair in front of her, "Please join us."

"I'm sorry for just showing up." Olivia sat down and Fleamont merely grinned.

"Without James here we could use some unpredictability," he said. "What's the matter?"

"I need your advice," Olivia confessed as she put the letter on top of the table. "The Hales sent me a letter."

"Your husband's family?" Euphemia asked and the younger witch nodded.

"They said they were surprised when they received a letter saying there was a Hale missing in Illvermory. They want to take Annora out of Hogwarts."

"These are the bad in-laws, I take?" Fleamont asked and Olivia nodded burying her face in her hands.

"I know they can't take Annie. But without Edmund... I don't have much power," Olivia admitted. "They're a respected family in the States and if they do want Annie I don't think there's much I can do."

Fleamont and Euphemia exchanged a look. Euphemia turned to look at Olivia. "As long as Annie stays in England they can't do anything, Olivia. You once told me Edmund cut himself off, correct?"

Olivia nodded.

"Then Annora has no direct link to the family unless she becomes the sole heir. If she did go back to the States then perhaps they could do something about it," Fleamont added thoughtfully, "But if you remain here everything will be fine."

Olivia nodded again and groaned. "Twelve years. They haven't reached out to us in twelve years. Not even when Edmund died. And now that they were berated by a fucking school—sorry—they show concern." She scoffed. "Bastards."

"Image is important in high society, it is awful but not so surprising," Fleamont said. "If you ask me, Hogwarts tops all other schools in the world. I wouldn't want James to go anywhere else."

"Speaking of the children. Olivia, we were wondering if you'd like to spend Christmas Eve with us. Have a small dinner here in the Manor. We'd love to properly meet Annora."

"Euphemia! We can't impose on a holiday; it should be spent with family—"

"It will be as long as you join us," Fleamont said cutting Olivia off. "Euphemia has told me you don't have any plans for the Eve, so you'll have a nice dinner here. Finnie is already making arrangements."

"Yes, Master, Finnie is making all the arrangements." The elf smiled at Olivia happily. "Finnie is very pleased to have guests!"

"Alright, alright," Olivia consented and she stood up. "Thank you for everything, I need to get back to the cafe. I'm sorry I freaked out over something so little."

"Stop apologizing, Olivia," Euphemia said promptly, "We are here to help. Give the Evans our best regards."

***

"Your eyes will dry out if you don't blink, Nora," she heard Evan's voice say from beside her.

Annora snorted as she blinked a few times. "Sorry, zoned out."

The five of them were now sitting in an empty compartment in the Hogwarts Express, about to set off to King's Cross Station so they could go home to their families to spend Christmas at home. The first term had come to an end and Annora was eager to go home. She was getting pretty tired of classes.

"What are you doing during the holidays?" asked Rabastan as he munched in a licorice wand.

"Like you don't know," Regulus said with an amused smile. "It's always the same. Fancy parties."

"Yes," Evan said with a sigh looking out of the window. "Mother said this year there was a big announcement during the Black Yule party."

"I've heard that too," Rabastan told them with a nod, "my mother said it was imperative our family was present. I think they're announcing my brother's engagement to Reggie's cousin."

"Well, while you're enjoying parties," Barty drawled from his place laying on the floor, "I have to attend dinners with my father. Oh and let's not forget staying closed up in my room with only Winky to talk to."

"Winky?" Regulus frowned and Barty nodded.

"Our house elf. I guess I only mentioned her to Annie. Winky's sweet," Barty mumbled as he let a Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Bean in his mouth, immediately spitting it out and throwing it to the metallic bin under the seats, "that's not. I think I got sour milk."

"It's better than the hippogriff shit one I got," replied Evan with a shudder and the other four burst out laughing.

"What about you, Annie?" Regulus asked Annora when they calmed down. "What are you doing for the holidays I mean."

"The usual I guess," said Annora with a shrug. "It's usually me and my mom. Though this year she said we had new plans for Christmas Eve. And on Christmas, we have lunch with Joe and dinner with the Evans."

"As in Lily Evans the Gryffindor bookworm redhead?" Rabastan asked and Annora nodded, raising her eyebrows in question.

He didn't say anything. They usually never did, trying to steer away from the subject of blood prejudice. Annora wasn't sure if that meant they were okay with muggles and muggle-borns or not, but she appreciated that they didn't say anything bad against them in front of her, or at all.

Her four friends, after all, knew her mother was muggleborn (or at least that's what they assumed, seeing as Olivia was an orphan and had never met her parents). But they didn't comment on it when the subject came up. Annora took this as a good sign.

"Anyway, anyone up for a round of Exploding Snap?" asked Evan and they nodded.

The rest of the train ride went smoothly and after a few rounds of Exploding Snap and both Barty and Regulus sporting wild hair, their faces full of ashes, Barty ended up falling asleep on the floor, his legs propped up in Evan's lap, making him look weird and contorted. Annora also ended up falling asleep, her face to the window.

When she woke up, they were just arriving at the station, the train starting to stagger to a stop, slowing its pace down as it ratted on the rails.

"Barty?" Evan called out shaking the boy's foot. No answer. "Barty?!"

No answer.

"Can I just step on his face?" asked Regulus and Rabastan and Annora snorted.

Evan huffed and threw Barty's legs off his own, letting them fall on the ground with a thud, startling the brown-haired boy on the floor awake.

"What the bloody hell was that for, Rosie?" Barty barked as he scowled up at the chuckling blond on the sit.

"Don't call me that, Bartemius," Evan snapped back and Barty's scowl became more pronounced.

"I hate that name," he grumbled under his breath as he got up.

"Try being named Rabastan," said Rabastan with a challenging look.

"I like your name, Bas," Annora said with a frown and Rabastan sent her a smile.

"Yeah, but you've told us you want to name your child Hermione," Regulus said scrunching up her nose and Annora huffed in indignation.

That was a subject that came up when they were discussing names one time in the common room. And Annora had announced that she loved the name Hermione and would name her daughter that. This led to endless teasing about her baby fever and name-giving.

Annora wasn't at all obsessed with babies, but that was just something she had thought of randomly. Like she had already thought out that if she ever became one of those spinsters from her town, she would have a lime yellow tophat, so she could be the weird hat lady. Random things.

"And I do! It's a beautifully unique name, you bastard," Annora said fiercely and the boys clamped their mouths shut trying not to laugh. "You're a bunch of jerks, you are!"

Annora huffed as she pulled the compartment door up and stalked the way with her trunk, the boys speed walking after her and calling out to her.

"Annie, don't mind those idiots! Please take me back!" Barty wailed and Annora snorted, passing through the compartments full of older students preparing themselves to leave the train.

"Don't listen to him, Nora!" Evan shouted too, "I'll have little Hermione with you!"

Annora couldn't keep back the giggle that left her mouth but quickly covered it up with a cough, turning pink when she saw a couple of fifth years eyeing the scene with amusement.

"You morons! We're eleven!" Regulus laughed as they went.

"Age is just a number," Barty said dramatically reaching out to Annora's hand and pulling her back to them. Kneeling on one knee Barty looked up at her. Annora gasped dramatically. "Annie will you make be the most happiest Barty in the world and not marry me!"

"Yes, a thousand times yes!" Annora squealed overly excited and all five of them burst into peals of laughter.

"Kids," they heard some seventh-years mutter in the compartment they were standing in front of.

All five of them scowled at the seventh-years and sarcastically waved at them, they glared as they stepped out of the train.

"Annie!"

Annora turned around to see Olivia beaming at her. A smile tugged at her lips at the sight of Olivia. Her mother was the same as the last time she saw her, the only difference being the haircut she had, her hair was shorter and she seemed to have cut the front shorter. She was wearing a navy blue blouse with a bit of cleavage and some white bell bottoms.

"That's your mother?"

The four boys had stopped in their tracks behind Annora, bumping into each other and letting their trunks clatter. All four of them were gaping at the young woman smiling at her daughter.

"I think I'm in love," Rabastan mumbled looking at Olivia with hazy eyes; Annora rolled her eyes turning to the boys and slapping all four of them upside the head making them yelp.

"I'm going to miss you!" Annora said jumping to hug all four and they chuckled.

When they let go, they bid their goodbyes and Rabastan had to be dragged away by Evan, as he continued to try and catch Olivia with seemingly lost puppy eyes.

Annora approached her mother with a bright grin, immediately being brought in a hug by the older woman.

"How was school?" Olivia asked as they pulled away, taking Annora's trunk from her.

"Hogwarts is amazing. I have so much to tell you! I couldn't possibly write everything!" Annora said excitingly.

"You didn't write anything," Olivia quipped with a teasing glare. "That one letter a month turned into a corner of a page in Lily's letter pretty fast. I think the only proper letter you send me was the first one!"

"Sorry." Annora smiled sheepishly.

"Who were those four boys with you? Were those your friends?"

Annora nodded. "Regulus, Barty, Rabastan, and Evan. They're in Slytherin with me and we met on the first day. They're nice—most of the time."

"You'll have to tell me everything when we get home, Annie," Olivia said with a warm smile and Annora nodded. Then through the crowd of people, Olivia saw a redhead stepping out of the train and she put two fingers in her mouth whistling loudly. "Lily!"

Lily snapped her head to the mother-daughter duo and a beaming smile grew on her face. She said goodbye to her friends and approached the two Hale women.

"Livy!" Lily said excitingly wrapping her arms around the older woman, making her laugh. "Are you taking me home?"

"Uh-huh," Olivia nodded and Lily and Annora shared excited grins. "Your parents were working so I'm the taxi for today. And I was thinking we could go to the movie theater, and have some girl time."

"Can we?" Annora asked with a smile.

"I just said we could," replied Olivia with a snort and Lily chuckled while Annora scowled. "I invited Petunia but she said no."

"I expected that," Lily said sadly with a nod. The Hale woman smiled at her sympathetically.

"Where're your new friends, mom?" Annora asked as she looked around the station as if looking at someone imaginary. Olivia glared at her.

"They're a bit late, most probably, we're not the only ones that try and set records," she declared. "Anyway, move it!"

***

Christmas with the Hale women was a constant struggle. They ran around their little town, trying to participate in every tradition and still have time for the delicious Christmas lunch at Joe's house along with the mouth-watering Christmas dinner made by Michael Evans.

It was rare that they would catch Mr. Evans cooking. He made a point of telling everyone that he didn't quite like the art and preferred to wash the dishes after his wife's delicious meals. Yet, for someone who rarely cooked, Michael Evans was a divine chef. And Rose Evans sure knew that hence why, on every special occasion or big dinner party they had, she forced Mr. Evans into cooking the dishes. And oh, how delicious his food was. It was so good that it left them craving more throughout the year. And sometimes, the Hale women would randomly mumble about how much they missed Mr. Evans' Christmas turkey. His cheesecake, for example, was actually one of Olivia's craves when she had particularly bad cramps during her period. And somehow Rose Evans always managed to trick her husband into cooking the cake so she could give it to Olivia.

Their mouths were already watering for Christmas dinner the following day. But this year they had one more social gathering to go to. They were spending Christmas Eve with Olivia's new friends.

"Who are they, mom?!" Annora whined as fixed her blouse in the mirror and dusted off her dress pants. She grinned as she dangled her pearl earrings and at the sight of her hair that she had promptly put into a side braid—being that it had already grown since the beginning of the year. "Mom! I want to know!"

"You won't wanna go if I tell you!" Olivia shouted as she walked into the living room and put herself in front of the mirror behind Annie.

"Why wouldn't I wanna go?"

"Solidarity. Their kid doesn't get along with Lily."

"We're having dinner with Petunia?" Annora asked with furrowed eyebrows; Olivia snorted and shook her head.

"What? No, it's the Potters."

"The Potts?"

"Potters."

"You can't possibly be saying we're spending Christmas Eve with the Potters."

***

But it was possible. And Annora entered the Potter manor with her jaw slacked as she looked around at the huge yet strangely welcoming home.

"Not even your grandparents had this type of house," Olivia muttered, amused by her daughter's face.

"I  thought they were filthy rich."

"Filthy, yes. Rich, oh, the richest. But taste? Tsk, I reckon Euphemia would throw up on the spot if she spotted those disgusting purple statues they had."

"Passing out would be a more fitting reaction," Fleamont Potter said as he approached the two witches. "She wouldn't want to see such monstrosities."

"Fleamont, don't talk like that about the boys," Euphemia chided as she walked into the room.

"We weren't," Olivia replied with a smile as she kissed the older witch's cheek. "Speaking of monstrosities, Fleamont, Euphemia, this is Annora."

Annona grinned at the older couple. "It's nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Potter."

"No need to call us that, Annora. Fleamont and Euphemia will have to do." The older witch began walking and the other three followed. "The boys are already sitting down for dinner; you have quite the knack for getting to places right on time, Olivia."

"It's a talent."

"I'm sorry but did you say boys?" Annora asked just as they got to the dining room where the table was set with a mouth-watering dinner on top.

"Hale?"

Annora grimaced as she saw the two boys sitting at the table. James Potter and Sirius Black were frowning at her.

"Mom?" Potter turned to his mother with a questioning look.

"There will be no house prejudice in this house," Euphemia said promptly with a warning look to the three children. "Annora is a guest. And, dear, Sirius is joining us for the night."

Annora nodded reluctantly. Olivia laughed as they both sat down.

"So you're the famous James Potter?" she asked and the boy looked up at her smugly.

"I'm famous?"

"Infamous is perhaps a better word," Annora quipped and James scowled at her. "Lily gives us quite a headache when she's ranting about how you're a pain."

"She talks about me?" James asked beaming.

"And you're Sirius Black," Olivia turned to the boy as they all ignored James who looked dazed. Annora saw as Sirius smiled politely at her mother. "A family named after the stars is quite original, did you know Annora's favorite star—"

Annora glared at her mother before she could say another word and Olivia burst out laughing.

Dinner passed without a hitch. Mostly with the adults talking about anything and everything. By the time they reached dessert, James and Sirius excused themselves and Euphemia insisted Annora go with them.

They were now sitting in the living room. The boys were on the couch and Annora was on a sitting chair. The living room of Potter Manor reminded Annora of what she believed the Gryffindor Common room would look like. Woodsy, scarlet, and overall comfortable, unlike the cold dungeons that she had come to like.

An awkward silence had settled between them and Annora couldn't take it anymore. Because it wasn't silence; both boys were whispering to each other and looking back at her every now and then.

"Stop looking at me weirdly!" Annora had to beg the boys as they glanced at her. "You're making things fairly awkward for bloody Gryffindors who should know how to break the ice with their heads."

"Don't fret, Nora," James said with a grin as he used a nickname as if it was his way of breaking said ice. Annora rolled her eyes but smiled as the boy got up and clapped his hands. "I just had a bloody brilliant idea. Who wants to go play Quidditch in the ballroom?"

"Quodpot you mean, Jamie?" Annora rebutted and James looked at her weirdly.

"Quod what?" Black asked from the couch and Annora beamed.

"Quodpot! We just have to find a way to make the quaffle explode!"

"I like where this is going, Nora."

***

Annora touched her face softly and winced as she touched the bruise on her forehead. A grin grew on her face as the memories of Christmas Eve came to her head. Who knew James Potter and Sirius Black could be fun? Both boys together were the definition of chaos and Annora never had so much fun.

They had played a made-up game that was in between Quidditch and Quodpot, and all three of them ended up pretty bruised by the end—thankfully they didn't break anything in the ballroom of the Manor. Though the end of the night was slightly less great. Sirius had been in a bit of a mood because he had to go home early in the morning and he didn't want to go home, Annora made it worse by mentioning Reggie. They didn't have time o argue though, because Annora had to go home.

"Okay," Olivia said loudly as she joined Annora at the entrance of the apartment, "if we go now, we will have time to catch fake Santa Klaus—sorry, baby, but you had to find out—down by Spinner's End. We'll tell that little greasy kid—"

"—Sev?" Annora snorted and Olivia nodded.

"We'll wish him Merry Christmas, and then we still have time to pass by Ms. Thelma's for eggnog. And after that we have enough time to arrive at Joe's for lunch," Olivia rambled. "Then we'll go to the Evans, have their suburb dinner, and then Christmas Carols!"

"But for that, we actually have to go, " Annora muttered to her mother and Olivia snapped out of her daze and nodded.

"You're right!" Olivia nodded. "Merry Christmas, motherfu—forkers!"

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