"FUNK"

FUNK: a state of sadness; Neveah Ross was certainly a character to say the least, you either love her or hate her — there is no in between, for Lorelei Black, it had seemed like her mother had returned at the perfect time. The woman seemed exactly like Lorelei had grown up imagining her mother to be, she cracked jokes, she pissed off Sirius, and most of all she was supportive. The older woman had made her way into the hearts of many people in the order for such a short amount of time.

Molly Weasley loved how much Neveah Ross respected her as a mother, and always asked for tips on how to make Lorelei feel better about something, about cooking, and even knitting, though her failed attempts in knitting Lorelei an 'L' jumper had only told the two women that they'd have to find something else to bond at because knitting just wasn't it for Neveah.

Arthur Weasley loved how the woman would get him muggle artifacts, and simple objects that peaked his curiousity and then help him understand it's use, something as simple as a lighter to something complicated like a television.

Though, leaving the other adults out Neveah was doing particularly well with the kids, though she didn't get much time to hang out with them because of the Order, she always seemed to know what was going on with them — often giving them tips on how to perfect a spell, or providing them joke products she'd acquired over the years.

"Bloody—" Neveah released an 'oomf' sound as a body collided with hers without a warning, she chuckled, wrapping her arms around the younger girl, "Hey, kiddo, missed me?"

"No" Lorelei grinned, "I'm just hugging you to check how many joke products you brought for us"

"Well, you should've said so" Neveah grinned identically, she then turned around and levitated a very full bag next to El, "This much enough for you or...?"

"Wicked" George and Lorelei said together with a glint in her eyes.

"George, I've got something special for you in there" Neveah told the tall redhead who looked excited — no one had ever bought something for just him, it was always sort of a joint present that he'd have to share with Fred — which he loved, Fred loved his brother and he loved being a twin, but just sometimes it was nice to be just George instead of Fred and George.

"What the fuck, Ms Ross?" Lorelei blinked, "Your daughter is right in front of you and you're choosing to gift this baboon a joke product"

"Hey, it's not my fault I'm more lovable" George nudged Lorelei's shoulders with a teasing grin, she poked her tongue out at him childishly.

Neveah's eyes shined, as she smiled at the two kids in front of them — she was anxious in the beginning, she wanted to be the best mother she could be, but she did end up realizing that there is no way of being the 'best' so, she did what she should've done all along — be present.

"How's Harry? Is he back from the hearing yet?" Neveah asked as she set her coat down on the hanger, turning around to see George and Lorelei already fighting over a bag of crisps. Children.

"Nope" Lorelei elbowed George in the stomach, making him lean over as grabbed the packet, "He's still at the Ministry, though he's with Dumbledore, I wouldn't worry that much — they can't expel him"

"Right," Neveah said, "but with the Ministry this year, we can't be too sure — I mean, they tried to cover up Cedric's death as a casualty of the tournament, what extent will they go to just to make sure Harry doesn't get a platform to speak again?"

Lorelei stilled, she let go of the packet and George noticed her stiffening up, so he pulled on her hair and she passed him an annoyed look, "He'll be fine, Ms Ross" Neveah passed her daughter a small smile, hoping she hadn't gone too far mentioning Cedric's name.

"Come on, bubbles, I think it's time to let the kids out" George said in a soft voice and Lorelei nodded, she then followed George upstairs stopping right outside the bedroom door, she peaked through the key-hole and saw Birdie and Fred sat on the bed with a soft smile on their faces, "Go ahead"

Lorelei opened the door with a wince, "Hey, Birdie..." Lorelei tip-toed inside and Fred passed her a huge grin whereas Birdie immediately got up, bumping into El's shoulder as she walked past her, "Hey, come on, Birdie, you can't be mad at me for that"

"Why the hell can't I be mad at you, Lorelei?" Birdie said and Lorelei stepped back in fear — she just called her by her real name, and not the nickname she'd given her, yup, Lorelei was definitely in trouble.

"I just thought since you guys were so miserable—" Lorelei tried to explain but Birdie's scoff cut her off.

"That's the thing, Lorelei, you thought that" Birdie spat out, "You made that choice because you thought it was the best thing to do — well, guess fucking what? It's not your fucking relationship to make the choices here!"

"Birdie, I just wanted you two to be ok" Lorelei said in a small voice, "I didn't — I didn't, look—"

"Tell you what? Fred and I? We're fine" Birdie motioned between her and Lorelei, "You and I? Are not."

🫐

"HE GOT OFF, HE GOT OFF" Lorelei Black watched the three redheads joined by Birdie and Regan do some weird sort of war dance, even Lorelei grinned at the raven-haired boy, Sirius smiled when he saw the two interacting without Lorelei being hostile, or rude towards the kid — weirdly enough as much as her father wants him to be, Harry is not the reason Lorelei and Sirius have a strained relationship, part of it? He is, but he isn't the problem.

"That's enough! Settle down!" Mr Weasley exclaimed, though the tone of his voice and the smile on his face indicated that it was meant to be anything but strict, "Listen, Sirius, Lucius Malfoy was at the ministry-"

"What?" Sirius turned.

Fred, George, Ginny, Birdie and Regan continued with their chant, and the weird dance, Regan had almost pulled Harry to his feet, but then she decided against it — thinking he was too tired.

"We saw him talking to Fudge on Level Nine, then they went up to Fudge's office together. Dumbledore ought to know..." Arthur said, though his tone was no longer happy, it seemed like he was stressed.

"Molly, I was thinking maybe I could skip lunch?" Lorelei asked the woman, Molly turned around with a frown.

"But dear, you skipped breakfast too" Molly told the kid and Lorelei shrugged weakly, she just needed a break, she thinks, with the Birdie fight she wasn't sure how long would last, she also just felt exhausted completely — even the two vials of sleep draught weren't doing their job anymore, they just made her tired.

"I know, I just don't feel like eating" Lorelei said with a small grimace, she then raised her injured hand to show Molly, "Besides, with this — it hurts to move my hand and I won't be able to pick my fork up either"

"SHUT IT ALL OF YOU!" Molly roared, "George, tell your sister to stop clinking pots and pans together"

"Sister, stop clinking pots and pans together" George repeated without wasting a second and continued doing the dance, "What's wrong with you, Bubbles?" George came into view with a bright smile on his face, "Trying to ditch us all so soon for sleep?"

"Don't bother her, George" Molly smacked her son in the arm, "She isn't feeling well, and thanks to you she can't use her hand"

"Well, I did promise her I'd help, didn't I?" George slung his arm around Lorelei's shoulder, she passed him a glare, "Come on, I'll be your personal servant for the night"

"There you go, darling, problem solved" Molly pat Lorelei's cheek lovingly, moving on to pass the food to everyone on the table, "Come on, you two, or the lunch is going to get cold"

"You had to do that, didn't you?" Lorelei rolled her eyes, she removed his hand from her shoulders, "I just wanted some time alone, my battery's drained"

"Well, we can't have that, can we?" George asked, "Come on, I'll buy you ramen"

"You do know our deal's over right?"

"Well, yeah, but after the deal I realized I'm way too forgiving to not talk to you just because of what happened in our third year" George shrugged, "You know me, I'm a saint"

"Uh huh" Lorelei spoke, unimpressed, "Hey, for the record I did feel bad for slap-slamming you, but you did kind of deserve it"

"You're right I was being a proper dickhead" George chuckled, "I think those first years Fred and I were just trying to find our placing, and so going along with the older kids and talking about your dad was definitely...not it?"

"No shit" Lorelei said dryly, she remembers that day very, "I guess I forgive you too, who's a saint now, huh?"

"Still me" George spoke without hesitation and Lorelei smacked him with her injured hand again, he laughed alongside her when she clutched it in pain. George did help Lorelei with lunch that day, he filled up her plate and though he did end up stealing most of the food from her's he did end up feeding her and occasionally missing her mouth by 'accident' and then the sauce would end up on her nose that Lorelei would make him wipe each time. It was the most friendly the two had been in a long time, and Lorelei will admit — she'd missed the orange-haired-peach.

...

Regan Rosier sat down on the spinning chair with her cat in her hand, and sunglasses protecting her eyes from the light that was coming from the windows, even though she'd never been hungover in her life — she was pretty sure this is exactly what it felt like. Regan tapped her foot unconsciously as she waited for her cousin to get back to her room.

Lorelei Black unaware of the little bastard sitting down in her room walked in with a sigh, "Well well well" Regan said and Lorelei flinched, she passed the younger girl an annoyed look but the look soon transformed into one of horror as she saw the tray of her empty sleeping draught potions out on the desk instead of the bottom of her bed, "You have precisely fifty-five seconds to explain this"

i was writing this yesterday night and then i remembered i was writing about hope and not lauren and the pain i felt istg, i got rlly attached with lauren's character in the sirene story, and actually wrote about ten chapters of her story when i realized it wasn't working that well alongside the sirene and marauders story so i had to unfortunately stop writing it, but i loved her and yeah this definitely made me almost cry so :)))) (for those who haven't read sirene black — lauren is hope's mother)