XXV. HEAVY METAL

1976
(Sixth year)

     Sirene Black hated a lot of things, to be honest, she probably hated almost everything except a few things here and there, she hated bras, the word mushy, she hated dogs - she thought they were messy, I mean I guess not hate them but she wasn't exactly a big fan, and then she hated liars and cheaters.

      Right now, though, she hated her brother, and you might say 'ooh, hate is a strong word' but it was the only word that could describe what she was feeling at the moment. Now, she would tell you all about it if she didn't have to make her way to transfiguration right now.

     She walked in the class with her usual bored expression as always, slumping down into a seat next to Andrew who gave her a curious look.

    "Where are your friends?" He asked Sirene who opened her book before looking at him and shrugging, "They always walk with you to classes, don't they?"

     "Alice is with Marlene who's hurling for the fifth time this week because she got food poisoning" Sirene said simply, "And Lily is already there, see" She said and then motioned to where Lily sat with her eyes, "I was running late and she likes to be a little early"

     Andrew just nodded, I mean how thick can she be? He was trying to start a conversation and she just answered his question and then went silent again, he smiled to himself before taking out his own book too.

     "Do you even have friends?" Sirene joked looking at Andrew with her eyebrows raised, "I don't think I've ever seen you with a human other than your little sister"

     "I have friends" Andrew said with an offended look on his face, "Who do you take me for?"

     "A loner?" Sirene answered, "And imaginary friends don't count, Annie"

     "I have you?" Andrew said turning to look at Sirene.

     "Really?" Sirene said with a teasing tone, "Is that what we are? Friends?"

     "Why?" Andrew asked, "Do you not want us to be?"

     "No" Sirene said with a chuckle, "I was kidding, of course, we're friends, you're not all that bad"

     "Coming from you, that might be the most close to a compliment I can get" Andrew said to Sirene who shrugged, "You're not that bad too, by the way"

      Look, Sirene thought Andrew was cool, he was an alright kid, he wasn't completely hideous, and he was ok-ish smart, ok that's a lie, he's really smart, but that's besides the point. So, she really didn't see any harm in making him a friend of hers considering she might need one who knows nothing about her at all, for a fresh feeling.

     That was it. That was the reason she made him her friend. Nothing else, at all.

      Soon, Professor Mcgonagall walked inside the room and charmed the chalk to write on the board itself, the lesson began but Sirene could barely pay attention.

      Something's been off with her these past few days, she can't put a finger on it, but she's noticed it. She can't get herself to have fun. Not like she used to anyway, it's like there's this emptiness that stops her whenever she gets too happy, she tries to act normal, she really does, but sometimes it just happens.

      Like she could be eating and then there's this random wave that hits her and boom, she's feeling empty again. She blamed it on her mother though, with all those other issues her mommy dearest gave her, this might just be another one of them.

🥀

     "How much did you get in your O.W.Ls?" Was obviously the first thing that came to Lily's mind when the girls sat down at the lunch table to talk, because of communication issues and Lily not being able to find her owl who apparently had never returned from a night stroll, she couldn't ask her friends about their grades and while they were on the train they were far too engrossed in talking about their time at home.

     They still don't know about Sirene, Sirene thought she'd give it some time and tell them when she's ready, because she knows Marlene would convince her to move in with her. Alice would probably give her a hug that'll break the emotion dam she set up, making her bawl like a baby and Lily would probably cry herself because she wouldn't know what else to do.

     She wasn't ready for all that, she just needed a bit more time.

      Sirius had tried to talk to her a few times but soon gave up himself because all he would get in response was a glare, Sirene made up with Regulus because, well, he's just a kid, he shouldn't be on the receiving end of all the comments Sirene and Sirius will get once they figure out that they were no longer part of the Black family tree.

    He'd told her it was just so rushed he couldn't do it, so she'd told him whenever he feels like it's too much he can just come and live with her.

    "I got all Os except Arithmancy" Sirene said with a shudder at the mention of the subject, she hated it, "Ooh, by the way I got a perfect score in Astronomy"

     "That's amazing!" Lily said excitedly, "I got all Os! Except Astronomy"

      "I barely got any Os" Marlene groaned from the other side making Sirene and Lily chuckle and Alice rub her back sympathetically, but her mood immediately lightened up, "It's ok, I'm planning to open a bakery after school anyway, dad said he'd help me set it up"

     "Great!" Sirene said, "We have free ice cream, free cake and a healer who will check us out and fix us right back up for free" She looked at Lily who shook her head.

     "We're set for life" Alice joined in with a smile of her own.

     The girls had always loved to talk about their future, it was something they started doing after they found out about Sirene's condition at her home, it was an escape almost, something they could look forward to whenever they felt like things got tough.

     And it sort of became their thing, of course their future plans varied every year but this one just seemed more realistic because they were growing up, and they had to pick their path now.

     "Guys" Marlene said with an excited tone, "I wanted to tell you that Rupert told me, that Emma had told him, that she heard Daniel talking to Tom about how Gideon Prewett is into Lily"

     "Marlene, not again" Sirene said almost banging her head on the table, "You always get stuff messed up by believing what people tell you."

      "No, it's true this time!" Marlene whined, "Emma never lies"

      "Marlene, I'm sure no one lied" Alice said with her calming voice, "But it doesn't mean that the didn't truth get stretched out somewhere between the various different versions told by different people"

     "Is Marlene spreading rumors again?" Lyra asked the girls as she sat down next to her giving her hand a quick squeeze under the table, "You need to not believe in everything they tell you, Mar"

     Marlene just pouted childishly, that made Lyra want to kiss her, she wanted to kiss her so damn much in front of the whole school but she couldn't, and tell everyone that Marlene McKinnon the it girl, was her girlfriend but she couldn't, they weren't ready. So instead Lyra just gave her hand another tight squeeze.

     Sirene, Lily and Alice looked at them with the most loving gaze, how couldn't they? Marlene and Lyra were so adorable it was almost disgusting. Marlene looked at Lyra and gave her smile too, for that it was all they could do right now.

Myra gives me life, I think they're the absolute endgame, but we all know what's going to happen, or do we? HOLY SHIT 2 K? Who tf even reads this mess of a story???😭 but srsly thank u for doing that.