"PAST"

PAST: gone by in time and no longer existing; Lorelei Black had spent an awful amount of her time dwelling on the past, wondering about the what if's and no matter how much time she spent reading about living in the present or moving on and focusing on the present and some shit like that, but it never really worked, her brain was just wired that way, she wasn't ever good at letting things go, and she was also a hoarder, probably because of her ability to relate everything to her past. Since, she was a hoarder, naturally she had a lot of items she couldn't live without, and to put those items here in the sad and dusty looking room, she had to make room.

Lorelei sat down on the floor, going through a box that was in a little corner in her room — she found loads of journals and then one picture of her father and her from when she was just a baby, she wiped the dust off the glass and then watched the picture as her father picked her baby self up, probably talking to aunt Si, when she turned the frame around looked at back where someone had scribbled 'can't believe HE made that'  in a very neat handwriting.

When she put the photo frame aside, she found another one, it was of her aunt and Regan's from when she was baby, in the back it was scribbled 'there you go, you gremlin' Lorelei recognized her aunt's handwriting, she quickly put the frame down, turning the first page of the journal when she realized that her aunt Si must've known the person who owned this room, on the first page it was written 'Regulus Arcturus Black'

Lorelei frowned, she didn't know her aunt and father had another sibling, "Lorelei!" she'd heard her mother say from the outside her room, she shoved the journal inside the box — sliding it under her bed, if her aunt and father had never mentioned their brother it must've been a sensitive subject for them.

"Coming!" Lorelei said, she wiped the dust off her hands and then her clothes, opening her bedroom door to come face to face with her mother who was grinning widely, "Hey, Ms Ross..."

"I got you something" Neveah beamed, her hands behind her back as she looked at her confused daughter.

"My birthday was yesterday" Lorelei stated, her mother shrugged.

"I know, but it took me a long time to get this" Neveah said, "I got you..." she took out a oversized 'holyhead harpies' t-shirt that had signatures all over it.

"Oh my Merlin! Ms Ross!" Lorelei's jaw dropped on the floor, "How did you— what— I— I don't know what to say right now..."

"You do like it, right?" Neveah asked, the grin turning more into a frown, "I just remember you mentioning the Holyhead Harpies a lot when I taught Quidditch at Durmstrang!"

"Like it? I love it!" Lorelei jumped to hug her mother, Neveah chuckled wrapping her arms around the kid, "Thank you! Thank You! Thank you, so much!"

Sirius Black was busy making his way upstairs to call Lorelei down for breakfast when he saw who once used to be the love of his life and his daughter laughing like they didn't have any care in the world, he cleared his throat, "Breakfast is ready"

Neveah broke away from the hug, parting from her daughter awkwardly, "Of course, she'll be down in a second"

"I'd appreciate it if she came down with me" Sirius said, avoiding eye contact with Neveah, "I'm sure she doesn't like cold pancakes"

"She doesn't like pancakes in general" Neveah said, her tone had a bit of an edge in it.

Lorelei looked at both of them, shrugging internally before walking down the stairs, Hope joining her side after a few moments, "What's up with them?"

"Parent rivalry, I presume" Lorelei said, "Hey, you wanna go to meet Birdie today later in the day—"

"Can I come?" Fred started walking down the stairs with both of them, Lorelei turned to gave him a glare.

"No" Hope and Lorelei chorused together.

"Please, I just need to see her" Fred insisted, taking a few fast paced steps and then walking in front of them backwards to be face-to-face.

"Forget it, Fred" Lorelei huffed, "The last thing Birdie needs to see is your ugly face"

"What?" Fred paused, "What's wrong with my face— I don't even know why I asked that, forget it, listen, I'll just take a peek and go"

"Fred, it's a no" Lorelei said firmly.

Just as she was walking away with Hope Fred grabbed on to her wrist, making her turn back, "I'm sorry" he released his grip but his jaw remained clenched, "You don't understand, the last time we talked — we fought, and I regret that, I need to know that she's fine, please Lorelei"

Lorelei's lips pressed into a thin line, "Fine, but you're not allowed to talk to her if I sense any sort of discomfort from either one of you, I'm kicking you out and it's not gonna figurative"

"Deal" Fred said his mouth then opened and closed, as if he was wondering if he should say what he wanted, "I do love her, you know, I would've said it to her right at that moment, but I got scared — I'd never committed to anything but Quidditch before, she was the first time I ever felt something like that, and it was scary not knowing what I'm gonna feel, but I do intend on making things right, if she'll allow me"

"Don't get so sappy" Lorelei rolled her eyes, "I don't need to know all that, but someone does — you better tell that someone whatever you said to me right now"

Fred nodded as he opened the door to the kitchen, "Fred?" Lorelei called out.

"Yes?" Fred turned around.

"You can call me El" Lorelei said passing him a stiff nod. Fred nodded back. Hope turned to look at Lorelei.

"This is why I hate male humans" Hope shook her head, Lorelei snorted as she hooked her arm around Hope's and both of them entered the kitchen.

🫐

"MAYBE I SHOULDN'T BE HERE" Fred messed around with his shirt looking uncomfortable, he fiddled then with his hair. Lorelei and Hope turned to give him a look both of them wanting so desperately to punch the kid in the face.

"Fred, ovary up!" Lorelei exclaimed, smacking him on his arm, Fred released a yelp rubbing his arm, "You're embarrassing me"

Fred lips turned down, "Fine"

"Honestly, Fred" Hope rolled her eyes, "Do I need to get your ginger ale or something?" Hope knew Fred liked to drink ginger ale whenever he was nervous, she also knew that it happened usually before a Quidditch match — the odds of getting hit by a bludger and disappearing into thin air would terrify anyone, much less the beater who actually has to deal with them.

"I've got that covered" George handed Fred a big cup of ginger ale, "I knew he'd be nervous, that's why I brought this"

"What is he doing here?" Lorelei asked with an annoyed expression.

"Aw, bubbles, glad to see you enjoy my presence so much" George cooed, Lorelei turned pink passing him a hard glare, she thought they'd agreed that he wouldn't call her that years ago.

"Bubbles?" Hope asked, her brows furrowed as she glance back and forth between the redhead who had a cocky smile on his face and Lorelei had the usual intimidating look on her face that sent shivers down most people's spine, but George Weasley stood there without a care in the world.

"Yeah, Georgie let's make this about me right now, please" Fred said, nudging his brother's side, George rolled his eyes.

"What would you do without me?"

"Die."

"I could see that happening" George shook his head, "Go get her"

"There will be no getting her until we meet her" Lorelei said, shoving past the redhead, pinching his arm while she was at it.

"What if she hates us?" Hope asked, suddenly stopping in her steps, "I mean, you know when I'm injured and sick after a full moon, I kinda hate everyone too"

Lorelei paused, she thought for a moment before cupping her hands, "Hey, Fred!" Fred turned around with a frown, "I changed my mind — you can go in first" What? Don't judge her, besides Fred was the one who was dying to meet Birdie a few seconds ago, maybe he could take the heat and then the girls could deal with a cooled down Birdie.

"Oh, thanks El" Fred grinned, George watched Fred with a frown as he walked inside with a bouquet of baby breaths, sunflowers and orchids, they didn't go together but they were Birdie's favorites.

In the Hospital bed laid Birdie Potter, her gaze fixed on the window as if she wasn't paying attention to anything but the birds that sat on the window sill, she had bags under her eyes from the lack of sleep and the nightmares she'd been having recently, she was dangerously thin, and to her great horror not one strand of her hair was in place, the usual messy Potter hair becoming even worse when left untended for two days.

She could tell you about the moments she spent crushed under the car wondering if this was how she was going to die, wondering if she would have to die bearing her parent's secret, but she simply didn't have the energy to. She spent those moments wondering what was going to happen to Harry now that even her sister wouldn't be able to live with him, but then for a second her mind wandered somewhere else, just for a second.

Would it really be so bad? Birdie remembers thinking very vividly, and she was certain that if she closed her eyes she would wake up crushed under that car again, helplessly hoping that she doesn't make it, trust me, Birdie wasn't suicidal, she liked living — she loved doing the little things that kept her sane, she loved her friends, and despite her fiber of her body that told her she shouldn't — she loved Fred Weasley.

She had much to live for, but just for a second she wondered what it would be like to be free of everything the world put on her shoulders, to just not be there.

"Robin?"