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October sixteenth, nineteen-seventy six

IT HAD BEGAN AS a calm autumn day, nothing incredibly out of the ordinary— Damien and Vaudeline being horridly obnoxious throughout breakfast and lunch, while Marceline regaled the group with one of her infamous tales of the time abroad she often spent due to her father's business dealings, followed by the typical routine of classes that fine Tuesday, all in all it was a usual day for the Slytherin sixth years.

Until of course it wasn't.

"Oh! Is that the necklace Damien gave you!" Marceline's voice had come out as a squeal as she practically leapt towards Vaudeline, who was standing over her fully stocked jewellery box, admiring its newest addition.

"Isn't it lovely?" Vaudeline asked, holding it up so that the emerald in the centre caught the light of the room, "He said it's a present for passing my seventh grade ballet exam" the latter sentence ending in a swoon.

"How nice— I didn't receive a gift for passing the same exam" Perenelle teased, tossing her book down and getting up from her bed to join them, "Though I will say it is beautiful, Antonin told me he helped him choose it— they did a good job"

The twins had taken their exam at the end of summer holidays— after months of gruelling preparation at the hands of their mother, and Pera's toes still ached at the mere thought of the especially long emboité she had held while on pointe that had earned her the praise she had received from their instructors.

She wiggled her toes in her stockings at the memory.

"I wish my mum had forced me into ballet- well, taking it seriously" Marcie sighed, flipping back down onto her bed, "I believe I lasted two lessons before my mum simply decided I was a lost cause at that front" and the twins both attempted to hide their laughs— as Marceline truly was not the most graceful.

"What book is it this time?" Marcie drawled, taking note of the fresh paperback novel laid face down on Perenelle's bed, and Pera smiled,

"Anne of Green Gables! Oh it's so charming, it's about a little orphan from North America a—"

"—You and those muggle books Per" Marcie drawled in boredom, "as if our books weren't tiresome enough, you have to go out and seek the ones you know you'd get an earful over"

"How father and maman haven't caught you is a mystery" Vaudeline scoffed, tucking her jewellery box back underneath her four poster bed, "I mean honestly— you have more muggle books than you do magical at this point"

Which— to be fair was a fact, as it seemed the only magical books that caught Perenelle's eye anymore were those pertaining to astronomy and the legends behind it, which coincidentally also had an extensive array of muggle books on the subject as well.

"Well that's why they stay at school" Perenelle shrugged, sitting back on her bed, and clutching the book to her chest, "So imaginative, the muggles, it's sort of admirable what stories they're able to come up with" and the two girls rolled their eyes, though Marceline's was more playful.

"I mean really, their lives seem so mundane— but some of their ideas of the magical are rather charming!"

"Does this Anne of Green Gables have any magic?" Marceline asked, actually intrigued by what Perenelle was saying.

"Well no" Pera shrugged, "But it's still a fantastic novel, Anne is the type of girl who—"

"—No offence, but I'm not entirely bothered with the muggle and who she is" Vaudeline cut in, her features sharp as she voiced her annoyance.

"—She's not real, she's fictional Vaud"

Marceline giggled at that, and Vaudeline rolled her eyes before continuing to get ready for bed, Perenelle ever oblivious to Vaudeline's brashness.

"Vaud, you still have more vials of pepper up potion don't you?" Marcie asked, plaiting her mousy brown hair as she too began to settle into bed.

"Sure do"

"Do you care if I steal one off you? My monthly surprised me after lunch and in all honesty it feels as though a hippogriff is tearing through me from the inside bloody out"

Perenelle laughed at that, tucking her copy of Anne of Green Gables underneath her bed, chucking off her stockings afterwords.

"Oh Salazar, what day is it?" Vaudeline asked, a nervous hitch in her voice.

"It's only the sixteenth of October, mine decided to show itself half a week early"

"Merlin you scared me for a moment, normally I have mine at the same time as yours you arse!"

"Arse! It's not my fault my body has decided to revolt" Marcie laughed, throwing one of her pillows across the room, where it landed at the end of Vaudeline's bed.

It was as though time had slowed for Perenelle as soon as Marcie had said the day's date.

October sixteenth, already? Why had it taken her all day to remember the importance of the date? It seemed as though millions of thoughts had pushed their way into her mind and were fighting tooth and nail to be heard.

Of course she knew it was October sixteenth— it had been written clear as day across the board of every classroom she had entered throughout the day, the real problem was that Perenelle hadn't realized it was October sixteenth.

The realization was mortifying, and a hot burning sense of shame raced up the back of Perenelle's neck and seemed to swallowed her whole.

October sixteenth. It was Andromeda's twenty third birthday.

"Hello? Earth to Pera? Everything alright over there?" Marcie's voice had knocked her from her stupor, and Perenelle rejoined the present conversation, blinking hard as she faced her dorm mates and left her own head.

"Pardon?"

"I said earth to— oh sod it, never mind- are you alright? You look as though you've seen a ghost"

Perenelle swallowed— swallowed what she wasn't sure, perhaps bile, perhaps her nerves, and quickly looked over at her sister as she answered, desperate to know if Vaudeline had come to a similar realization— though like Marceline her sister was looking at her as if she had grown a second head.

"No— no I'm fine, just tired is all, I think I've got a migraine coming on" She smiled weakly, and Marceline didn't look convinced, continuing to stare at her curiously— though Vaudeline had decided the conversation was over, head on her pillow and turned away from the pair of them.

An unsure Marceline bode them both goodnight before moving to turn off the light, and once in the comfort of the darkness Perenelle buried herself under her covers, her heart pounding.

She felt as though she had committed the ultimate betrayal— ironic enough as it wasn't Perenelle who had abandoned her family, though she couldn't shake the nauseating feeling from her bones.

Andromeda was not discussed, not ever. It was as though she had never existed, every trace of her gone from their lives— though Perenelle never forgot her birthday, and with a sinking feeling Pera couldn't help but wonder what it was she would forget next. Would it be her smile? Or her laugh? Perhaps the tightness of her hugs. It was those thoughts that plagued her mind until she finally succumbed to sleep.

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It was half past midnight when Perenelle found herself awake for the third time that night, drenched in a cold sweat and overcome with such a feeling of melancholy every movement felt numb, from her hands clutching her duvet to the wiggling of her toes against the sheets.

Though this time was different— as when she was abruptly shoved back into consciousness and left alone to stew in the feeling, the darkness of the dormitory suddenly shrunk, trapping her in her thoughts, thoughts that suddenly turned panicked once she realized, with a tight squeeze at her heart— she wasn't sure if she remembered what Andromeda's voice sounded like.

She remembered their countless memories yes, nearly every conversation between the two stored in her brain as precious memories of a past she would never get back, yet in every one Andromeda sounded slightly different. In one her voice felt an octave too high, another too low— and in another almost right but still slightly off, she just wasn't sure how.

The realization was jarring, and with a start Perenelle had sat up straight, her heart beating as she took in Vaud and Marcie's sleeping forms tucked into their beds, before retrieving something from her bedside drawer and sneaking out of the dormitory. Desperate to escape the darkness and be able to take a full breath without the feeling of her chest caving in on itself.

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"Can Loppsy get missus anything else?"

"I— what? Oh, no, thank you Loppsy" Perenelle said shakily, realized the concerned elf had been speaking to her. It stared at her incredulously with its giant round eyes, and in all honestly made Pera feel pathetic, as even a house elf was able to see that she was currently a right mess.

It was certainly a sight to see at nearly one in the morning, the youngest heiress of the Noble House of Black, hunched over a small table in nothing but her silk nightie, slippers, and a robe hastily thrown on, one hand trembling over a steaming plate of treacle tart and the other clutching a worn and tattered book.

Treacle tart had been Andromeda's favourite.

"Is you sure? Missus seems awfully sad, Loppsy can make something else if missus does not like the treacle tart"

"Oh— oh no Loppsy, it's not the trea-" But Perenelle cut herself off, breaking down in tears in front of the frightened house elf, who jumped in fright as a sob racked her body.

"Oh Loppsy" She cried— half delirious from the lack of comfortable sleep, "Thank you for being so kind"

If Vaudeline could see her now she would cringe so fiercely her body would fold in on itself, but Perenelle was unable to stop herself as she cried over the treacle tart, dark curls sprawled over her shoulders as Loppsy the elf— half out of fear, awkwardly patted her knee, the other kitchen elves looking on curiously at the spectacle.

It took around ten minutes for Perenelle to calm her sobs down to lone sniffles, her fingers absentmindedly tracing over the cover of her copy of Alice in Wonderland as she hesitantly scooped a forkful of treacle into her mouth at Loppsy's insistence.

"Oh Loppsy, you don't understand the terrible pain I'm feeling" She said softly, and the elf nodded its head at her to continue,

"It's my sisters birthday, only she's not my sister anymore, and as mad as I am at her I can't find it in myself to not miss her terribly" She finished, a sniffle leaving her as she did, and for a moment she pondered the absolute ridiculousness of her spilling her heart out to the poor house elf.

Vaudeline would surely think she's gone mad, though Marceline would most certainly get a kick out of it, but she truly had no one else to confess the burden to, considering as far as anyone she was acquainted with was concerned, Andromeda Black had never existed.

"Loppsy thinks missus should go to bed she should"

"Maybe you're right Loppsy" She sighed, wiping the treacle from the corner of her mouth and the tears from her cheeks, "This is getting awfully pathetic and I reckon I look a disaster"

The elf didn't answer, though the lack of an answer only confirmed Perenelle's assumption, and she fought the urge to once again burst into tears.

She didn't have the time to succumb to her ever present feeling of dread as Loppsy cleared the table, helping her out of her chair and practically shooing her away, as though Perenelle's episode was causing him severe mental stress.

"Goodnight everyone" She sniffled, waving goodbye to the kitchen elves as they continued with their routine, and she moved to exit the portrait that led to the hidden kitchens, "Thank you agai— oof!"

Only the portrait door had swung open, hitting Perenelle square in the chest and knocking her onto the ground, sending her book sprawling.

Perenelle didn't even register the stinging pain left by the door, her heart instantly freezing as she practically leapt, snatching back her book as though it was her most valuable possession.

There was a chorus of voices at once, of winces- gasps, and one voice above all,

"Oh bloody hell! Sorry abo—"

And Perenelle came face to face with Sirius.

His buddies too of course, James Potter who he had ditched her for in first year, followed by Peter and Remus, the latter being one of her fellow sixth year prefects.

Them knowing the location of the kitchens was not surprising to her— no, as it seemed like something the obnoxious troublemaking group would know, but she had never once bumped into them since the time Antonin and Damien had told her of the kitchens existence two years prior, and how they even found it was a mystery.

Perenelle quickly scampered to her feet once the fact that she was face to face with her cousin registered in her frazzled brain, hastily fixing the straps of her nightie— nearly fainting of mortification at the realization she stood before the four boys in such a state, a scandalous faux pas her maman would quite literally have a fit over if she could see it.

Several uncomfortable seconds went by where no one said a word, Sirius and Pera's eye contact not breaking- and for a moment it seemed as though Sirius was looking at her in concern, a look of shock on his face as clear as day.

Which of course was somewhat understandable, considering his not-a-hair-out-of-place darling cousin was stood in front of them in practically a slip, her hair in its natural curly state completely frazzled, and her face a splotchy mess.

Only then Sirius' expression turned to one marred by smugness, smirking as he looked back at the three boys then back at her,

"No harm then lads, not like the door hit anyone important"

Perenelle couldn't help what came over her once his words registered in her mind, her lip trembling as important left Sirius' pompous mouth, and— well, she simply burst into tears.

If there weren't furious tears clouding her vision perhaps she could have taken note of the boys' reactions, and without looking back she pushed herself past them and through the portrait, breaking out into a run in the dark corridor.

After running for what felt like minutes, Perenelle came to a stop in an abandoned corridor, wheezing, and it was once she stopped that she took note of a shooting pain in her left knee.

"Oh for Merlin's sake" She muttered to herself with a sniffle, wiping her eyes before attempting to wipe some of the blood from her knee, failing horribly and only managing to smear it against the edge of her nightgown. 

Perenelle was tired. Utterly exhausted both mentally and physically, and hobbled over to the enclosed staircase to her right crying and pitying herself and her misfortune all the way.

She sat on one of the bottom steps with a huff, before folding over on herself in exhaustion, her arms crossed over her knees— head tucked between her arms and rested against her book as sobs wracked her body for what felt like the millionth time that night.

She couldn't have stayed like that for more than a few minutes, though the sound of whispers made her body freeze, throwing her out of her depressing episode of self pity.

"—well I don't know what to do so I don't know why you're bloody looking at me"

"—She's directly in the way, we can't not—"

"—I for one am not too keen on getting involved with whatever that is, she looks like she's had quite a rough night and I don't feel like angering the beast"

"—Gid, I swear to Merlin, it is just a crying girl, she won't bite"

"—Fabe don't you da— oof! Well hello there Miss! Care to tell us what's bothering you on this fine eveni—"

Pera didn't even have time to look up and identify the intruders before what sounded like a small explosion echoed through the corridors, and the two boys grabbed her— one arm each and hauled her to her feet, dragging her after them up the staircase as Filch's aggravated screech could be heard heading their way.

"—Let me go!" She gasped, though it seemed the boys hadn't heard her over their intense urge to vacate the area, complaining as they went.

"—Those bloody marauders, they're really starting to grind my bloody gears— the tarts! We taught them everything they know you know!"

"—Only they never managed the art of subtlety, oh no everything has to go boom! Forget calculated pranks, no! Everything has to be a spectacle"

Perenelle fought the urge to fight her technically kidnappers as she raced after them up the dark stairs, as they were the only thing standing between her and an angry Argus Filch, and in all honesty she couldn't believe that they somehow found the time to complain and go off on a tangent,

"Those idiots wonder why they end up in detention every other day, I mean I love the sods, but they're so predictable!"

"You know crying girl—" And with offence Perenelle realized they were referring to her "We had quite a show planned— we charmed every suit of armour on the floor to follow Filch around for eight hours— but made it so every time he turned around they'd go back against the wall, I mean that's a prank! Drive the old nut crazy! And now thanks to them old Argus probably won't even noti—"

And for the second time that night Perenelle found herself face to face with people she would rather not have see her in such a state— or at all, period.

"—Oh fuck me" Gideon Prewett muttered, his mouth morphing into an o at the sight of her, and Fabian punched him in the arm. "Well hello Black, didn't realize you were you, erm, obviously"

Perenelle's expression mirrored Gideon's, naturally, and she was utterly too gobsmacked to speak as she came face to face with the boy who was quite literally the star of nearly all of her dreams from the ages of eight through thirteen.

"I think what my brother means to say is that we didn't realize it was you in our stairwell" Fabian said sheepishly, and if Perenelle wasn't frozen in spot she would have scoffed at our stairwell, "I—are you alright? What's happened, I mean— no offence bu—"

"—You look like you've been through the bloody ringer" Gideon grimaced, and Fabian pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation at Gideon's choice of words.

"I— well, you see—" She fumbled, stuttering as she tried to figure out the best way to escape her current situation without once again bursting into tears.

"—Did someone hurt you Perenelle?" Gideon asked, concern laced in his voice as he looked her up and down— her frazzled appearance and bloody knee surely leading him to that conclusion.

Perenelle's heart fluttered when he called her by her first name, something he hadn't done in what? Four? Five odd years?

"I— no" She began, the twins looking at her in worry, and it was then that she noticed just how much they had grown up since the last time she had properly spoken to them. They easily towered over her, and years of quidditch had clearly done them well— and the utter mortification she was feeling mixed with the shock that she was even speaking them made her panic.

So she ran. Perenelle turned and ran back down the enclosed stairs and didn't stop running until she had found her way back to the Slytherin common room.

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please I love this chapter so much it's literally so sad yet so hilarious at the same time.
the twins are here (; very excited for this! also yes so sirius is a dick but don't hate him too much right now because like you have to understand the complex ridiculousness and toxicity that is the black family, anyways! pera needs a hug, and a nap, and I also need a nap, so see you guys next update (: please remember to vote and comment as I love hearing from you all!